Closure of Saskatoon grocery store may leave hole in downtown core

Diana Bignell says it's going to be hard to find a replacement for the Good Food Junction.The inner-city grocery store in Saskatoonhas announced it will be closing by the end of the month.

The nearest grocery store is many blocks away and that's going to make life difficult for people in thearea. The Good Food Junction is located at20th Street and Avenue L S.

• Good Food Junction closing in Saskatoon

"It's hard for me in the winter time. With a walker, you can't hardly push it through the snow. I have to start paying my friend $20a trip to take me to the store and bring me back home. That's how much he charges,"Bignellsaid while going into the store.

The problem is the closure will leavea large section of Saskatoon without a grocery store.Last year, a grocery store in the City Park neighbourhood shut down.

Now that the good food junction is closed as well, it leaves a huge hole.

Rachel Engler-Stringer, who's a professor in the college of medicineat the University of Saskatchewan, saidthe long-term effects of the closure will mean more unhealthy people.

According to the food security expert, people will have less access to good food, especially produce.

"Income matters a lot. And income relates to transportation," she said. "I think the biggest issue is one of ensuring that people who don't have access to a personal vehiclehave access to a grocery store. So those are the people that the Good Food Junction are really trying to target."

What will it take to bring a grocery store back to the area, especially in the downtown core?

According to one commercial real estate expert, a small grocery store will likely be built in the downtown core, but not before more people move into the area.

"I think it's vital. Any retailer wants to know they have customers," said Tom McClocklin, president and managing directorof Saskatchewan with Colliers International.

"Grocery stores are dependent on location, and people being nearby. And so it's very important that there's people within the proximity that will utilize the store," he said.

The store said it's closing because there weren't enough people shopping there.