KANSAS CITY, Mo. — New life is planned for a grocery store that recently closed in Independence after a rash of thefts.
Management at El Mercado Fresco said they plan to move into the space formally occupied by Save-A-Lot at 3500 Blue Ridge Cutoff.
A letter posted on the building's door stated the store closed because of "general business decline" and "ongoing theft in the neighborhood," according to Syed Haider, vice president of Value Grocers LLC.
KSHB 41 contacted a spokesperson for the Independence Police Department who said police were called to the market 14 times between July 1, 2022, and July 1, 2023.
Some of the incidents involved money stolen from a cash register and shoplifting.
"Where no big stores want to come in, we’re here to serve the community and pick up the pieces from everybody too," explained Tony Guitierrez with El Mercado Fresco.
Guitierrez said their new location on Blue Ridge Cutoff will have security and focus on community relationships.
“Once we show customer service, that’s going to reduce a lot of theft, a lot of taking out," he said.
Guiterrez said they hope to open before Thanksgiving and 50 to 60 people are expected to be hired at the store.
While preparations are underway, the immediate area will be without a grocery market.
“The impact is pretty dramatic. If you think of the things that we do in our day that are important to livability; pharmacy, grocery store, access to a physician, access to recreation," explained Brent Never, an associate professor at UMKC. "So one of the linchpins in our community is the grocery store."
Never said a market's absence doesn't just create a void for fresh food in a community.
“You think about what you do in a grocery store, we always think about buying stuff, but you see the cashier, you may know the cashier. You may know your neighbor in the store. All of that has a lot of value beyond just the food," he said.
