Geri is a lifelong Kansas City Resident. She remembers the Linwood Shopping Center’s heyday and is hopeful for its return.
“Look around. It’s necessary. Having a grocery store is a necessary item for survival of our neighborhood,” Geri said.
It’s a neighborhood near and dear to Don Maxwell. He manages the shopping center and says the revitalization effort is anything but small potatoes.
“In shopping centers, it’s kind of parasitic. You’ve got your anchor and the smaller stores live off the anchor. So once the grocery store closed it was like a nail being driven into the coffin of the shopping center,” Maxwell said.
Maxwell says the area has been a food desert for more than a decade.
City leaders are also stepping in to help. For some like Councilman Jermaine Reed, it’s personal.
“This grocery store, back in the 80’s was one of the premier shopping centers for people to shop. I used to shop here with my family,” Reed said.
The goal is to have a Sun Fresh grocery store in place within a year. Before that happens, city leaders want to hear from the public. They’re hosting a second meeting to discuss everything, from design to construction.
Residents like Geri are glad to have a say in the matter, and hope the food desert is eliminated soon.
“Yeah they need a grocery store around here. Build up the area, and make it look nice because the building is empty. Do something with it,” Geri said.
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