Walmart Canada’s decision to close its Station Mall location is giving Matthew Taylor an upset stomach.

Taylor, 29, has lived downtown for about five years. He doesn’t have a vehicle and walks everywhere. Walmart is about five minutes from his apartment.

Taylor typically buys “almost 100 per cent” of his groceries and food for his cats, Cokes and Nylah, from Walmart about once a week. The Ontario Disability Support Program recipient usually spends $10 to $50 each visit. Ground beef is his typical meat purchase.Taylor will buy house-brand products, such as macaroni and cheese, to save money. He’s been “getting by” on one meal a day since he was 16. Taylor can’t work as he deals with several mental health concerns including severe anxiety and depression and generalized panic disorder.

“Walmart was the closest and cheapest (grocery store) by far,” he said.

Taylor is not keen about his choices when Walmart closes in late June. He doesn’t expect he’ll buy more foodstuffs at Dollarama, also at Station Mall. Prices at his next closest option, City Meat Market on Queen Street East, are “a bit higher” than he wants to pay.

Taylor gets $1,100 each month from ODSP. The rent for his one-bedroom apartment plus utilities and internet costs about $900 each month.

“That’s as cheap as I could find,” he said. Accommodation cost limits where he can live. He also needs a place that takes animals.

“I’m not getting rid of my cats,” said Taylor.

He has a “very limited” budget to work with after his living costs are covered.

“It is very tight, but I can get by,” said Taylor.

He was “very angry” and then “a little worried” when Walmart announced the store closure on Thursday.

“Mainly I was angry,” said Taylor.

He may step up his use of food banks at Salvation Army and St. Vincent Place. Taylor visits the two agencies about six times a year now. He may also start spending $67 a month for a Sault Ste. Marie Transit Pass so he can grocery shop at RJ’s Market or Metro at Churchill Plaza.

Guests at Soup Kitchen Community Centre “really don’t know what they’re going to do” when Walmart closes, says food services and financial manager Ron Sim.

“What can you carry on the bus?” he said. “How many trips are you making?”

Sim estimates “at least” 60 per cent of his guests live downtown and “probably 80 per cent or more” don’t have a vehicle.

Similar to Taylor, Sim’s guests often have few dollars for food after paying their rent.

With the news of Walmart closing so recent, it’s “hard to gauge” if the James Street facility will see more demand for meals and canned goods after June.

“We could possibly,” said Sim. Soup Kitchen Community Centre typically serves 2,300 to 2,600 meals per month.

Downtown residents with tight finances could tap Algoma Farmers’ Market and The Mill Market during the summer. Sim’s not keen on people having to rely on canned goods to fill their stomachs, pointing to concerns about sodium and sugar.

“There’s probably not that much nutritional value in some of the different things,” he said.

Sim plans to contact Ward 2 councillors Luke Dufour and Lisa Vezeau-Allen about a possible community meeting to discuss grocery concerns.

Station Mall has typically had a grocer among its merchants. Dominion, A&P, Zellers, Kelly’s Grocery and Walmart were all sources of food.

Both Sim and Taylor lament the vacant storefronts at Station Mall.

More than a dozen stores are empty or will close soon. Bluenotes’ is closing with inventory priced at $10 or less. The clothing store’s fixtures and equipment are for sale. An “everything must go” sign hangs at Suzy Shier. Sears closed in 2017.

“The mall itself is slowly becoming a dead zone,” said Sim.

“It seems to be dying,” said Taylor.

Station Mall opened in 1973. The property is owned by Algoma Central.

The company’s plans for Station Mall are unchanged with Walmart’s closure, said chief financial officer Peter Winkley in an email to The Sault Star. He declined further comment.

Algoma Central announced plans to sell its commercial real estate in 2015. The company took Station Mall off the market in 2017 after Sears announced the mall location would close. Algoma Central wants to find a tenant for that space before relisting the property.

btkelly@postmedia.com

On Twitter: @Sautlreporter