Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Farmington's only grocery store shutters, leaving thousands without immediate access to food
kstp ^ | Dec. 21, 2019 | staff

Posted on 12/22/2019 11:21:04 AM PST by bgill

Family Fresh Market closed its doors at the Farmington, Minnesota, location for the final time Thursday afternoon.

In November, the store's parent company announced it was pulling out of Farmington, a city south of the Twin Cities with a population of more than 21,000 people. It was the only grocery store in town.

As the staple shuttered, community partners rushed to find ways to fill the gap to help thousands of vulnerable residents.

"It's a public health crisis," said Farmington City Council member Joshua Hoyt. "We literally have residents who don't have immediate access to simple things like food and medicine."

Hoyt said thousands of seniors and people without transportation will be hit hardest by the change.

"For some people this is their only option," Hoyt said. "If I'm sitting in my apartment or my house and I don't have a vehicle or I don't have the means to travel 5 or 6 miles, how am I going to make it through to the next day or two?"

(Excerpt) Read more at kstp.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Food; Health/Medicine
KEYWORDS: farmington; grocery; mn; prepping
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 141-152 next last
With a population of 21k and a majority of them not from da hood, why can't Farmington keep grocery stores? Most grocery stores service a 3k population so Farmington should be able to support 7 grocery stores.

They knew the stores were leaving and knew the last one was leaving as of last month. Ever heard of prepping?

The guy in the article is complaining about a 5-6 mile drive. Snort, I drive 40 round trip to the store. Ok, it's one thing if he's elderly with no support system but I don't feel sorry for those who are just after freebies. Surely there is a tax funded elderly/handicap van service. Heck, out here in the rural area, we've had one since the 60s that could get people to the store for a couple bucks or free.

1 posted on 12/22/2019 11:21:04 AM PST by bgill
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: bgill

So, why can’t a grocery store make a profit there?

A real journalist writing a non fake news article would find out.


2 posted on 12/22/2019 11:24:11 AM PST by 2banana (My common ground with islamic terrorists - they want to die for allah and we want to kill them.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bgill

“As the ‘staple’ shuttered, ‘community partners’ rushed to find ways to fill the gap to help thousands of ‘vulnerable residents’. “

When you hear those phrases you know Hipster Commies are involved. The only thing they left out is ‘stakeholders’.


3 posted on 12/22/2019 11:26:21 AM PST by dljordan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bgill

So why exactly is the town’s only grocery store closing? You’d imagine they would be making money hand over fist, unless they sell crappy food, at high prices or something. Where are the large chains? Is the town know for a high crime rate with lots of shop lifting?


4 posted on 12/22/2019 11:26:41 AM PST by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now it is your turn ...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bgill

Sounds like an opportunity for someone...


5 posted on 12/22/2019 11:27:14 AM PST by Bon mots
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bgill

In a pinch, you can go to a convenience store. If you don’t have access to a car, you might be in the wrong town.


6 posted on 12/22/2019 11:27:30 AM PST by Dr. Sivana (There is no salvation in politics)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bgill

A quick search yielded this:

Did you know?

The population density in Farmington is 2358% higher than Minnesota.
The median age in Farmington is 11% lower than Minnesota.
In Farmington 90.83% of the population is White.
In Farmington 1.44% of the population is Black or African American.
In Farmington 3.25% of the population is Asian.


7 posted on 12/22/2019 11:30:45 AM PST by Disambiguator ("Progressives" want government in action. Conservatives want government inaction.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bgill

Hoo boy.

Trump’s really done it now!


8 posted on 12/22/2019 11:31:29 AM PST by tsomer (Trump: the meanest SOB that ever loved our country!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Disambiguator

Sounds like a prime location for a Whole Foods.


9 posted on 12/22/2019 11:31:46 AM PST by Meatspace
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: bgill

“For some people this is their only option,” Hoyt said. “If I’m sitting in my apartment or my house and I don’t have a vehicle or I don’t have the means to travel 5 or 6 miles, how am I going to make it through to the next day or two?”

You could always take the subway.


10 posted on 12/22/2019 11:34:37 AM PST by Meatspace
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Bon mots
Sounds like an opportunity for someone...

You beat me to it. This situation screams "business opportunity". Personally, when I hit the main road I can turn right or left, and groceries are 13 miles away either direction. There are, however, a couple of gas stations, and who can't live on a diet of Slim Jims and beer? Oh, and those hot dogs tumbling on the rollers since the Carter administration...

11 posted on 12/22/2019 11:34:39 AM PST by Billthedrill
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Bon mots
For digging root cellars and selling canning equipment/supplies?

Not to stereotype, but I bet everybody there's familiar with Burpee.

12 posted on 12/22/2019 11:34:46 AM PST by Calvin Locke
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Meatspace

HyVee and Aldi both bought land but haven’t dropped stores yet. The two together would easily steamroll Family Food, so the answer is on the way.


13 posted on 12/22/2019 11:34:53 AM PST by Dr. Sivana (There is no salvation in politics)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: bgill

Yup, the city mayor is a moron.


14 posted on 12/22/2019 11:35:21 AM PST by Cobra64 (Common sense isnÂ’t common anymore.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2banana
So, why can’t a grocery store make a profit there? A real journalist writing a non fake news article would find out.

My experience with business is the only color they care about is green. In my area of Florida we have three or four groups that pick up your groceries and deliver them same day for a very small fee. The group that services Publix is best known. They're very competitive. Amazon delivers food in some areas... But like you say, there's more to this story than we're hearing.

15 posted on 12/22/2019 11:37:43 AM PST by GOPJ
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: bgill
Most grocery stores service a 3k population so Farmington should be able to support 7 grocery stores.

That metric sounds about right. I live in a suburb with just over 50,000 people and there are more than a dozen large chain grocery stores.

16 posted on 12/22/2019 11:38:13 AM PST by usconservative (When The Ballot Box No Longer Counts, The Ammunition Box Does. (What's In Your Ammo Box?))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2banana

Looking at google maps, withing a few miles there’s several shopping centers with Walmart and regular supermarket, plus a Sam’s Club.

I would look at town tax policies to see why a local market couldn’t survive the competition.


17 posted on 12/22/2019 11:38:23 AM PST by PapaBear3625 ("Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities." -- Voltaire)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: bgill
A quick map search shows six or 7 grocery stores in that town.

3 Wal-Mart Supper Centers near by.

I do not see a problem.

18 posted on 12/22/2019 11:38:38 AM PST by Deaf Smith (When a Texan takes his chances, chances will be taken that's fore sure)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bgill

Look at a map.

It is almost in St. Paul.

The very ones in panic probably never set foot in the store since St. Paul would have much better.

Now they want to look to the voters like the man on the white horse.


19 posted on 12/22/2019 11:38:59 AM PST by old curmudgeon (There is no situation so terrible, so disgraceful, that the federal government can not make worse)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bgill

Here comes a 99cent Only store!


20 posted on 12/22/2019 11:40:22 AM PST by gunsequalfreedom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 141-152 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson