FORT WAYNE — Plans for a long-awaited downtown grocery store were announced during the 2026 State of the City address in Fort Wayne, with city leaders and developers outlining a project aimed at expanding food access for residents in the urban core.
Mayor Sharon Tucker said Fort Wayne-based Surack Enterprises intends to begin construction later this year on a full-service grocery store along Pearl Street, with an anticipated opening in the first quarter of 2027. The project would renovate a former bakery building and create a market expected to include fresh meat, baked goods and other grocery staples.
The store is projected to span roughly 20,000 to 35,000 square feet and will require an investment of several million dollars, though final costs have not been disclosed.
Currently, downtown Fort Wayne lacks a traditional grocery store, requiring many residents to travel outside the city center for fresh food. City officials say the project aligns with broader residential growth trends identified in a recent housing market study showing the potential for more than 2,100 additional housing units in the downtown and nearby East Central area over the next five years…