With the recent closing of Save-A-Lot in St. Pete diminishing fresh grocery options for a large swath of South St. Pete, a local group is working to create a permanent and affordable option for the community. One Community Grocery Co-op is spearheading a project to create a community-owned grocery store that is driven by community needs instead of investor profits.
“Sunrise represents new life and new opportunity,” said Erica Hardison, founder of One Community Grocery Co-op (OCGC). “The Save-A-Lot closing represents the sunset and an ending for the community. We chose sunrise to show that OCGC is coming to bring light, to be that new voice.”
The press conference, held at sunrise near the former grocery store site, marked a turning point for South St. Pete residents who have long faced challenges accessing fresh, affordable food. The closure of the neighborhood’s Save-A-Lot left nearby residents, especially those without transportation, without a reliable grocery option.
“You can go a mile without a grocery store,” Hardison said. “The store wasn’t perfect, but it was something. When it closed, the community was shocked. It really reiterated the need to have a community-owned grocery store that wasn’t going to leave.”
Drum Circle during OCGC event| Photo via Erica Hardison
“We are open to stay.”
Hardison and OCGC are part of a growing movement toward cooperative grocery model stores owned and operated by the people who shop there. These co-ops have found lasting success in communities across the country because they build local investment and accountability.
“The reason co-ops work is because members are invested,” she said. “As the process goes on, people are joining. We have volunteers, partnerships, and real engagement. That’s why this model stays successful.”
Her message to the city and the community during the sunrise gathering was clear: “We’re HERE,” she said. “We are open for partnership and open to stay. It’s a process we’re here for the community and for the long haul. We are not going anywhere. We are right here in their backyard. We are the sunrise.”
National recognition for OCGC
OCGC recently received the W.E.B. Du Bois Award for Cooperative Education, a national recognition of co-ops that create learning spaces and share knowledge within marginalized communities
“This award recognizes co-ops that are creating learning spaces and knowledge in marginalized communities,” she said. “We are in stage one, which is organizing. It’s owned by the people who shop at them. Through our produce pop-ups, makers’ and growers’ markets, we’re constantly hosting events teaching not about beating people, but educating them. We are so excited about the award. It goes out to everyone in the community.”
One Community Grocery Co-op supports local growers who are ready to reclaim their food system from the ground up.
Building toward a brick-and-mortar
The national recognition has energized OCGC’s next steps. Over the next three to five months, the co-op will launch a member ownership drive during National Co-op Month.
The goal is to surpass their 300 members, allowing OCGC to move out of the organizing stage and into feasibility. “In 3–5 years, we want 3,000 plus members and a stable place for the community, not only to buy food, but to serve as an economic-centered hub for wellness and belonging,” she said. “We want the grocery store to be brick-and-mortar and want the momentum to continue to see ideas come to life.”
Hardison points to other successful co-ops around the country, including Florida’s own Ever’man Cooperative Grocery in Pensacola, as examples of what’s possible. “We all deserve to live, work, play, and thrive,” she said. “We have examples of that in other states, and we hope to do the same here, specifically for South St. Pete.”
“Food is a right. You shouldn’t have to drive or take bus treks to get food,” Hardison said.
To learn more, become a member, or sign up for the newsletter, visit ocgc.coop.