Residents Join Forces to Bring a Fresh Grocery Market to Stone Mountain Village 

SMV Market, a nonprofit formed in 2019, aims to offer a permanent solution to the city’s lack of fresh grocery access. Our answer? A hyperlocal grocery store that features local farmers’ fare.

A couple of years ago, one might have been hard-pressed to find much to do within the city’s 1.7 square-mile radius, and while the recent addition of exciting new businesses to the once-desolate main street is a sure sign of the growth to come, residents and business owners alike agree that the town is missing a major piece of the puzzle. “If we really want to see our city thrive, we’ve got to cover the basics,” says Shante Lewis, president and co-founder of SMV Market. “We know that Main Streets all over metro Atlanta are successfully attracting new residents and businesses, but not without thoughtful planning, and not without ensuring that you don’t have to leave the city limits to obtain your everyday staples. With this market, we’re presenting a unique opportunity to empower our community to improve our quality of life. We’re really excited to bring this to fruition!”

We plan to offer fresh, and whenever possible local, produce, meat, dairy, and pantry staples. In the eventual brick-and-mortar store the plans are to include a juice bar and a community room to host workshops and seminars on healthy lifestyle choices. We’re counting on grants and donations to make it happen, and so far, the vision has had strong resonance with residents and city leaders. “There’s a new energy in the air when we hear neighbors buzzing about this market,” shares Brigette Killion, treasurer. “This will be a total game-changer for our village, and there’s no time like the present.”

As a first step the board is raising funds to obtain a vehicle that will be converted into a mobile market so food can be taken to the people of Stone Mountain rather than making people come to a store. (This will be especially helpful while social distancing is still recommended.) As we raise additional funds and apply for grants, our next step is to establish a community-funded market in downtown Stone Mountain.

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