COH discusses "Food Deserts"

[BeerNut]

I think the NW corner of Third ward would be a great place for a grocery store as you potentially have pull from Midtown, Downtown, Eado, and Third Ward.  Also this area already consist of large homes and town houses and most would consider the area gentrified.  Maybe even do something similar to Pearl Midtown Market but with a Trader Joe's.

Edited May 16, 2019 by BeerNut

[cspwal]

Emancipation and McGowen might be a good location; its 2 major roads, as well as on a frequent bus line

[BeerNut]

On 5/14/2019 at 3:57 PM, wilcal said:

Also, I'm in complete awe at the lack of grocery stores in the Denver Harbor/Kashmere Gardens area. 

 

yeah it's crazy, I thought I missed one initially.

[Ross]

Foodarama at 1805 Ella fills out the NW quadrant quite nicely.

[wilcal]

On 5/14/2019 at 4:47 PM, BeerNut said:

I think the NW corner of Third ward would be a great place for a grocery store as you potentially have pull from Midtown, Downtown, Eado, and Third Ward.  Also this area already consist of large homes and town houses and most would be consider the area gentrified.  Maybe even do something a similar to Pearl Midtown Market but with a Trader Joe's.

 

On 5/14/2019 at 4:52 PM, cspwal said:

Emancipation and McGowen might be a good location; its 2 major roads, as well as on a frequent bus line

 

EDIT: According to an article I linked to below, grocery stores > 10,000 sq ft are exempted from these rules now. 

 

Large number of churches is an issue. Y'all are probably familiar, but city prevents alcohol sales within 1000' of a school or 300' of a church. City has control of the school number and can set it between 300' and 1000'. I don't think anybody is going to 

 

Here's that quadrant of the third. This is not exhaustive and a result of me doing some quick google map scrolling:

 

 

Also, it's 300' or 1000' from the property line, so instead of circles, these should be squares and they should be larger (these circles are from a midpoint of the address, not the edge of the property).

 

The TLDR: good freakin luck. 

 

The city can reduce the big circles to those of the small ones, but I think the pilot program the city was playing with would reduce them to 500' 

 

Also of note, is that there is a food co-op at the corner of Elgin/Emancipation http://nuwaters.org/, but they only sell produce from 8-12 on Sat/Sun. It's certainly not a Wheatsville Coop like in Austin. 

Edited May 16, 2019 by wilcal

[gmac]

"Food" doesn't necessarily have to include liquor. You can have a grocery store that doesn't sell booze.

[wilcal]

5 minutes ago, gmac said:

"Food" doesn't necessarily have to include liquor. You can have a grocery store that doesn't sell booze.

 

Of course, but that's not practical for grocery stores, unfortunately. 

 

In my research just now to find an article that talked about the grocery stores saying it's a necessity, I came across an article about the reduction of the zones in 2014. It was my recollection that they dropped it to 500' from schools in some zones, but this article seems to think that grocery stores have been completely exempted now: https://www.citylab.com/equity/2014/01/why-houston-changing-its-alcohol-sales-law-help-food-deserts/8065/

 

I don't have insider knowledge, but I bet there's a reason why grocery stores avoided the dry Heights until the law was passed (and HEB backed the passing of the ordinance IIRC)

 

 

[samagon]

On 5/14/2019 at 3:57 PM, wilcal said:

 

Added it:

 

 

Also, I'm in complete awe at the lack of grocery stores in the Denver Harbor/Kashmere Gardens area. 

 

You know what there are a lot of up there 😕: 

 

 

for reference, the purple circle that overlays "Childrens Museum" is the Fiesta that is going away..

 

there's also a Sellers Bros on Canal (near Wayside) that doesn't seem to be represented on this map.

[hbcu]

by design 

 

to lure a store you gotta damn near give them more incentives than the law allows in certain areas. People brag on the HEB coming at 288 but the demographics in the area was enough for HEB to come in knowing they'll still get folks who shopped at the other location to come like the Gulfgate one also. HEB didn't mysteriously have a change of heart as they abandoned minority areas in the suburbs long ago and hid behind the Joe V concept in some. 

 

Fiesta and maybe a private grocer like a Pyburns are the only grocers who'll set up shop in minority areas like a Sunnyside but they have limited selections and not all Fiesta's are equal.

 

If you live east of 288 or South of MacGregor and don't want to go to HEB, your in trouble. Nearest Kroger that has amenities (not Polk) is maybe on West Bellfort and Telephone, Pearland, South Main, Post Oak and Bellfort. nearest Fiesta is on Griggs and 610 and HEB in Gulfgate or Wal Mart on Wayside.

 

If you live in SW Houston lets say off Fondren and Braeswood - and you can't drive far 

 

Foodtown on Fondren

Fiesta on Fondren

Fiesta on Gessner

Joe Vs on West Bellfort

 

Or live in a gentrifying Westbury at Hillcroft and Highway 90 (South Main)

 

No stores south or even north of the Wal Mart Market on Braeswood (which is high and little selection)

No stores between Fondren and South Post Oak (3.1 mile drive between Fiesta on Fondren to Kroger/Foodarama on South Post Oak)

 

If you live in the heart of Missouri City off 2234

Fiesta on Independence (that's it)
Foodarama at Cartwright 2233
Joe Vs on the Beltway 8 and West Fuqua

 

nearest HEB, Kroger, etc is on Highway 6 in Sugar Land, Post Oak or Pearland

 

Or if you live off Airport and Scott or anywhere in Sunnyside/South Park

Fiesta on Cullen

Watkins Foods on Cullen

Farmers Fresh

 

If you live in Hiram Clarke South of Highway 90 (South Main)

Foodarama on West Fuqua
Foodarama on Post Oak in Ridgemont
Pyburns off Almeda
Fiesta on Main and Post Oak
Joe Vs on the Beltway 8 and West Fuqua

 

you are in serious trouble in some areas unfortunately as you better have a car

 

you live off Highway 6 in Sugar land - Missouri City

you have 3 HEBs, multiple Wal Marts, Krogers, etc. within 8 miles of each other

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[trymahjong]

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