Vandals strike at days-old grocery store that ended food desert

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – The far east side has been in dire need of a healthy grocery store, and one opened about a week ago.

Since then, it’s been hit twice by vandals.

Last week, someone broke the glass of a window.

This week, someone did the same to the front door to A & I Variety Meats and Produce, which on Tuesday still had its grand opening sign up at East 38th Street and North Post Road.

“Very frustrating. To come in and see something like this. And like you said, just trying to do something nice and positive for the community,” said Robert Hearst, who owns the store with his wife.

Hearst said they are looking for the community to help with donations for the damage.

Customers have been grateful for fresh food locally on the far east side.

“It’s a blessing,” said Jennifer Carroll, one of the store’s customers.

It’s in an area where many storefronts remain vacant.

Hearst said, “What I see when I look in here, as a store, I look and see a store that’s getting ready to change lives.”

The owner said the area was a food desert, with limited places for fresh, healthy food within a mile. That’s why he and his wife opened the store.

“Two or three months, you’ll see more freezers, more refrigerators and more variety of product,” he said of the growth he hopes to see.

They have fresh vegetables, meats and fruits, but expanding will be more challenging with all the damage done to the store already. It’s money Hearst would like to put into the business, but now has to use to clean up the mess from some vandals.

“I come in the mornings, there’s frost and ice on the windows because, like I said, it’s broken down,” he said, looking at his window that has tape over it to hold it together.

Hearst said he is unfazed.

“It’s not going to stop us. We’re still going to be here. It’s not going to stop us at all,” he said.

He said he’s here to help the community and keeps hearing the three golden words from customers: “I’ll be back.”

To reach out and find out how you can help the Hearst family recover their losses, click here.