Kansas now has its own local chapter in the wave of grocery-store closures reshaping shopping options across the country. Jody’s Market, the only grocery store in downtown Lawrence, closed November 6 after a little more than two years in business.
Owner Reanna Slagle said business had been slow for months and the small market was no longer sustainable. Higher prices made it difficult to compete with larger grocers, while customers with tighter budgets became less willing to pay an extra dollar or two for the convenience of shopping downtown.
The market was built for downtown shoppers
Reanna and Chad Slagle opened Jody’s Market on July 3, 2024, at 10 East Ninth Street. Their idea was closer to a neighborhood bodega than a full-size supermarket: a pedestrian-friendly place where downtown residents and workers could pick up staples without driving across town…