PETERSBURG, Va. (WRIC) — One of Petersburg’s few options for a grocery store has closed its doors. Some residents and city leaders are now raising concerns about the store’s closure because they say the area is already considered a food desert.
The Save A Lot on South Crater Road now has signs up on its doors that read “Permanently Closed.” The grocery store was a lifeline for Sharon Sculthorpe, a disabled veteran who takes care of her two elderly parents in Petersburg.
“My dad’s 92, so I’d take my dad up there to do some shopping and all, and the shelves started to get barer and barer,” Sculthorpe said.
Sculthorpe said the prices were affordable and it was convenient because the store was right around the corner from her home. She found out nearly a week ago that Save A Lot suddenly shut down.
“I thought it was a real shame because there are so many people in this city that do survive off a fixed income being that they are elderly, retired or on some type of social security benefits,” she said.
Only two retail grocer chains, Food Lion and Walmart, remain in Petersburg. The remaining stores are privately owned. Sculthorpe said the only other two grocery stores are farther out, have limited items and are congested.
The Food Lion is also about a half mile away from the shuttered Save A Lot. The distance may not seem far, but transportation is a barrier for some residents in the area.
“A lot of people have to use city transit or bus systems to get their groceries and stuff,” Sculthorpe said. “So, having a place that they can go to that’s close to the houses and the apartments around here was a big advantage and that’s taken away now. Accessibility is the issue.”
The United States Department of Agriculture reports 21% of households without vehicles in Petersburg are more than a half mile from a supermarket.
The USDA also classifies the city as a food desert, which means there’s a significant portion of the population living more than a half mile away from the nearest grocery store or supermarket.
Marlow Jones, Petersburg City Council member, said he does not know why Save A Lot’s closed, but wants to prevent the same thing happening from other local businesses.
“To prevent this from happening again, we need to develop a department that checks on businesses,” he said. “You’ve still got people from this end all the way down that have nothing to go to. So, with this store closing, it’s really hurtful. It’s really taxing on the community.”
Save A Lot did not respond to our request for comment.
In April, city leaders and governor Glenn Youngkin announced the Sycamore Grove project, a a $170 million development plan that promises to build an anchored grocery store, restaurants and other businesses to Petersburg. City leaders also touted a Target and Trader Joe’s could be coming to the downtown area.
City officials said the governor will give an update on the project during his next visit.
