HART - O’Nealya Gronstal, Executive Director of the nonprofit, membership-based grocery store, Lakeshore Food Club (LFC), shared specifics at the Hart City Council Feb. 10. As reported in detail in the Feb. 20 issue of the Oceana Echo, this new shopping option will open inside the West Shore Community College Community Center in Hart this fall.
“We chose Hart (for our second location) on purpose,” Gronstal said. “It’s centrally located to local agriculture, it’s a strategic location for regional distribution, we have strong community leadership, and municipal support. We’re not a food pantry, and we’re not here to close anyone down. We’re rooted in choice, dignity, and community partnership.”
This is a community, she said, where a number of ALICE (Asset, Limited, Income, Constrained, Employed) families and households at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines live.
She told the council that fresh produce purchased at the food club will actually “cost” less, using fewer “points” than other items. “We’ve flipped shopping for healthy food on its head,” Gronstal continued.
The 4,000 square-foot Oceana County location will be located inside the former Gale’s IGA grocery store on State Street, soon to be the WSCC Community Center, alongside a college campus satellite, Michigan Works and the second Stella’s coffee shop. The grocery store will be open six days a week, including two evenings. The evening dates are yet to be determined, matching what is most convenient for the community. The Ludington store is open Tuesday and Thursday evenings, but other nights of the week may be better for the county, Gronstal suggested. She added their board had just made the decision that if individuals are members in Hart, they are also members in Mason County, so they will be able to shop at both locations.
The Michigan Farm Bureau has also joined the movement as well and is working to start other food clubs across the state.
Gronstal also described the new Lakeshore Regional Food Hub in Hart's Industrial Park, serving Mason, Oceana, Lake, Newaygo and Muskegon counties. She added that larger retailers, farms and food distributors are now sending foods to them that are nearing their “buy by” dates. These foods, known as “food rescue," are pulled from store shelves, fresh meats are frozen, and make their way to the LFC distribution center in Hart where they can be aggregated, sorted and safely stored until ready for redistribution.
Gronstal noted that while they are not considered a food pantry, LFC is able to come alongside Oceana’s local food pantries by sourcing food they cannot, and storing it until they need it. In addition, food rescue items come at no charge to the pantries, which is a huge savings for these locations.
Gronstal concluded her presentation, saying they would be hiring for several positions by summer, and new employees will be trained and get hands-on experience in Ludington before the food club opens in Hart. Open houses will also be scheduled so the public will be able to tour the new facility and learn more.
Following Gronstal’s presentation, City Manager Nichole Kleiner shared the latest construction updates from the WSCC Community Center. In January, among other preconstruction activities, asbestos abatement was completed, and roughing and framing-in have begun. Despite the winter weather, anyone driving by can see there is plenty of activity happening on site. Currently, there are no delays, with opening on track for Oct. 29, Kleiner said.
