A busy grocery store is closing its doors and shoppers in Kansas City's urban core want to know why.
The store closing signs at the Plaza Apple Market at 1215 Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd. shocked loyal customers like Debra Mann. She buys groceries there for her child development center.
"We don't have any stores as it is in the inner city. A lot of families can't get to the stores way out. They're on the bus line so with this store closing it's going to be really, really a detriment to our community," said Mann.
We called the owner of the Plaza Apple Market, Donald Gipson, to find out why the store is closing. Our calls were not returned.
41 Action News has learned that the store had five critical violations and six non-critical violations on its most recent August 2016 health inspection. Those critical violations included numerous meats being stored incorrectly, expired baby food and Enfamil on the sales floor.
A follow-up inspection showed those problems were fixed.
The customers we spoke to were clearly disappointed in the idea of the store closing. They'd rather see it upgraded and remain open.
"I shop here because it's right in the area and it's affordable for us. I've been coming here over 25 years," said shopper, Nadine Johnson.
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Lisa Benson can be reached at lisa.benson@kshb.com.
