A piece of the food desert solution

Residents who live near downtown Oklahoma City now have a closer option for groceries and specialty food items. The Market at Commonplace at NW 12th Street and N. Walker Avenue opened in mid-August and has already seen steady sales.

Open seven days a week, the store stocks staples including eggs, milk and bread as well as fresh produce with an emphasis on locally grown fruits, vegetables and herbs. Additionally, owner operators Eric Berumen and Chris Castro are working to source locally baked pastries and bread, grab-and-go meals and home goods.

The extensive international wine and cheese selection will be paired in monthly tastings. The Market is a great example of how a small store can support the neighboring businesses, local residents and local agribusinesses.

While The Market at Commonplace certainly doesn’t solve Oklahoma City’s food desert, it’s a small piece of the solution. We have been working to attract a grocery store to the downtown area and even more importantly, to northeast Oklahoma City for nearly 20 years. The northeast area is still in dire need of a full-service grocery store.

It’s startling to learn that residents in any large metropolitan city would have trouble accessing fresh food and groceries, but food deserts are common in many U.S. cities and create a barrier for families who need convenient access to fresh fruits, vegetables and meat. It impacts lower-income areas disproportionately.