The Brief
- Milwaukee leaders are proposing a $1 million fund to help neighborhood grocery stores avoid closing.
- Officials say rising costs, aging buildings and recent shutdowns are worsening food desert concerns.
- One store has already received grant money for equipment upgrades as the broader plan moves forward.
MILWAUKEE – Milwaukee leaders say they are working on a new strategy to prevent neighborhood grocery stores from shutting down as residents warn options for fresh food continue to shrink.
Keeping doors open
What we know:
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson on Monday, Feb. 9 shared updates on his administration’s work to address healthy food access issues, and efforts underway in response to recent large grocery store closings. Johnson was joined by people in the food business and representatives from the Johnson administration at the Sentry Food Store on Lisbon Avenue.
The proposal, led by Alderman Lamont Westmoreland, would set aside roughly $1 million to help offset operational challenges facing independent grocers and pharmacies.
“Grocery store closures continue to be a problem across the city, and we have been leveraging partnerships in order to stem the current wave of closures,” said Mayor Johnson. “So I’m working, as I mentioned, with members of the Common Council on a new grant program that would help grocers with their equipment needs. It can also be for eligible start-up inventory for businesses that are looking to create or expand existing grocery or pharmacy retail operations.”…