Food desert, no more | Brewerytown gets a supermarket

It’s been about 15 years since Brewerytown has had a grocery store to call its own. Until just recently, many had tried, and all had failed at enticing and successfully landing a tenant for a space located at 31st and Girard streets.

But developers, city councilors, and neighborhood associations continued to work together, and they’ve finally gotten the grocery store this food desert has needed for quite some time.

It’s a small space. Much smaller than the footprints that big-name supermarkets are accustomed, when it comes to new construction. And it wasn’t until the last few years that an influx of residents enticed by Westrum’s redevelopment of the area in the form of condos and townhouses had made settling into Brewerytown a lucrative option.

According to Philly.com Mayor Michael Nutter and Councilman Darryl Clarke dug deep to make a deal with Bottom Dollar Foods come to fruition. They are reported to have offered up about $2 million in site-prep costs, allowing the supermarket chain to open the new store for about $6.5 million.

For more on Brewerytown’s new supermarket, which is set to open just ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, visit Philly.com.