Food bank opens one-of-a-kind shop to alleviate hunger in the West End

Bailey Loosemore | Courier Journal

For 46 years, Dare to Care Food Bank has been in the business of giving away food.

But starting Thursday, the nonprofit that's secured literally tons of free meals for food pantries around here will try its hand at entering the retail space by opening a small shop on the edge of the Portland and Russell neighborhoods in Louisville's West End.

The shop, called the Oasis, is part of the nonprofit's continued efforts to address food insecurity, a problem that affects nearly 16 percent of residents in Jefferson County.

The Oasis will be located within a Catholic Charities property at 2235 W. Market St., and it will sell mostly frozen meats and vegetables along with some dry goods and prepared meals (think soup and rice and beans).

Related: Catholic Charities culinary program puts refugees, ex-cons to work

What it won't sell is fresh produce, which spoils quickly and increases costs for stores that have to throw away unsold fruits and vegetables.

Both Portland and Russell have high numbers of residents who don't have access to reliable transportation, and the store will serve as a convenient stop for people who need something fast but can't just drive to the nearest grocery store.

While the neighborhoods have three full-size groceries between them, the closest one to the Oasis is about a mile away. For many, that distance might not seem like much. But for families with young kids or adults who get around by walking or by bus, one mile can seem more like 10.

Dare to Care spokesman Stan Siegwald said the Oasis will operate as a pilot program for six months, but if it's successful, the agency could consider replicating it in other neighborhoods.

You may like: Parents, these new cooking classes are just for your kids

"Part of the beauty for us at this point is this is a relatively inexpensive pop-up shop," Siegwald said, adding that anyone can shop at the store. "... Part of what we hope to achieve is a deeper conversation with the neighborhood about what their needs are."

Entering the food retail market isn't easy. The start-up costs for even a small grocery store can run anywhere from $750,000 to $1.5 million, and slim margins mean investors might not turn a profit for years.

But Dare to Care won't be making the move alone.

The nonprofit has partnered with Louisville Forward, Catholic Charities and Indiana-based grocer Buehler's Inc. to open the Oasis — a new type of venture for all involved.

While Catholic Charities is providing the space, Louisville Forward has put up $25,000 in start-up funds and Buehler's chief operating officer Matt Dills has assisted Dare to Care in selecting food and equipment for the shop.

Dills and his company operate 15 grocery stores across the Metro area, including the Cash Saver market that opened in Park DuValle in 2016.

Louisville food: Louisville already has 50+ new restaurants, bars in 2018

With at least half of the company's customers based in Louisville, Dills said it's important for the business to get involved with the communities where they live.

Siegwald credits Dills with coming up with the idea for the Oasis and said Dills has been instrumental in teaching Dare to Care employees how to run a retail business.

"We want this to be like a learning organization," Siegwald said. "We want to learn as much as we can from this pilot both on the operational side and on the community side. What are people looking for, when do they shop, what price points work for them, what products work for them?"

Dills said he's been pleased by the support the shop has received from city departments like the mayor's office and community agencies like the Urban League, which helped Dare to Care find an employee to run the shop from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

"These folks are so open and willing to sit down and have the conversation," Dills said. "Everyone is willing to go out on a limb."

Dills said he hopes to soon see pop-up shops in community centers, churches and schools across west Louisville.

Eventually, the shops could create a sustainable market that would entice more private grocers to open stores in the area, Dills said.

"If we do our job, the neighborhood should put us out of business," Dills said. "We want to build the neighborhood up so more private industry comes in and we're not needed anymore."

Bailey Loosemore: 502-582-4646; bloosemore@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @bloosemore. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: http://www.courier-journal.com/baileyl.

SHOP AT THE OASIS

What: A small retail shop, operated by Dare to Care Food Bank, that sells frozen meats and vegetables at affordable prices and that serves meals provided by The Common Table.

Sample prices include:

1 pound of ground beef — $3

4 pounds boneless pork loin — $8

3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast — $6

2 pounds frozen corn — $2

2 pounds frozen green beans — $2

1 pound frozen collard greens — $2

12 ounces mixed berries — $2

Where: 2235 W. Market St.

When: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday, though hours may change.

More info: Visit lemonchallenge.com, where you can learn about the Oasis's mission and how you can show support by participating in a social media campaign.