International grocery store brings relief to Baltimore neighborhood in food desert
International grocery store LA Mart opened a new Maryland location less than a year after a store closed in a Baltimore neighborhood, leaving a food desert.
The new store opened at 4624 Edmondson Avenue, at the former location of a Giant Food store.
Supermarket closure leaves food desert
When Giant announced it was closing in June 2024, the company redirected customers to its newly remodeled store on Wilkins Avenue, two miles away.
"It was mixed feelings for the community," said Jeffrey Young. "I don't know what the situation was, but I don't think they were concerned about the community at all. Not knowing that it affected people that live in this community and the surrounding communities that have nowhere to go to get fresh food at a supermarket."
Young doesn't live far from the supermarket and, like others, is happy there's a grocery store that neighbors can walk to again.
"When the Giant left, we became a food desert," said Councilman Paris Gray, who represents District 8.
Neighbors appreciate new grocery store
LA Mart offers a wide selection of produce, international products, a bakery and a seafood department with fresh fish, lobster and crabs.
Customers like Carolyn Young, who lives nearby, were devastated when Giant closed in 2024. She said it was especially hard on older neighbors who had to venture further to get their groceries.
Young is no stranger to LA Mart as she used to drive to one of the store's other locations. She welcomed the new location, which is closer to her home.
"It's a multicultural area, so the market really gives everybody in the neighborhood what they need, so I think it's a great fit," Young said.
Young and other customers said they're enjoying the fresh produce and low prices.
"I just think the best thing about it so far is the prices on the fruits and vegetables, and even the salmon and fish and stuff like that," said neighbor Rudo Minson. "Lobster is on sale, crabs."
Minson lives down the street from the new store, and for months, he has been commuting to different markets to get groceries.
"I appreciate the supermarket being here, that's for sure," he said.
New development in Baltimore neighborhood
Councilman Gray worked with the owners at Edomdson Square and the Edmondson Village Shopping Center next door to find grocers when he learned Giant was closing.
The new LA Mart opened less than a year after Giant closed.
"I think it shows the economic power that we have in southwest Baltimore," Gray said. "Oftentimes we are overlooked, but we have strong communities, stable communities that can support not only one but what we will see is two grocery stores."
Aldi is slated to open a location at the Edmondson Village Shopping Center.
Gray said there is no timeline yet, but the lease is signed.
It's part of a multi-million-dollar redevelopment in the works by The Chicago Trend Corporation.
Baltimore's Edmondson Village Shopping Center is undergoing a renovation project.
The Chicago Trend Corporation
"What we're really excited about is just the opportunity and the opportunities that are going to come from both shopping centers when it comes to jobs, when it comes to food accessibility, making sure our dollars in Baltimore stay in Baltimore," Gray said.
Quickway Japanese Hibachi and Charley's Philly Steaks also plan to open locations in the shopping center, and additional stores are expected to be announced.
The changes can already be seen with Councilman Gray pointing to improved lighting, new awnings outside most stores, new signage and improvements to make sidewalks more accessible.
"We're already starting to see the changes, but it's going to be really important that folks keep their eyes open and continue to see the changes each and every day and each and every month as we move to full completion," Gray said.
The new developments are something neighbors are already taking note of.
"I'm happy to see the construction and development in the neighborhood actually coming up," said Carolyn Young. "I think that everyone can appreciate that."
Local restaurant wanted for new development
As development continues at Edmondson Village Shopping Center, the search is on for a local restaurant, Gray said.
"If you want to be a part of the renaissance that's happening in Baltimore and the beautiful thing is it's happening in all corners of Baltimore and not just one area, come to the Edmondson Village Shopping Center because we have a place for you," said Gray.
Restaurant owners interested in opening a southwest Baltimore location can reach out to Chicago Trend for more information or contact Gray's office.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Here are 10 stocks Goldman Sachs expects to be winners after a wild first half for the market
Goldman Sachs just updated one of its stock baskets with its picks for the highest risk-adjusted returns. The basket has outperformed the S&P 500 so far this year, gaining 3% year-to-date. The S&P 500's overall risk-adjusted return has been lower than usual so far this year, strategists said. It's been a volatile year for stock traders, but there are a handful of new winners in the S&P 500 that could be poised for big gains over the next 12 months, according to Goldman Sachs. In a note to clients on Friday, the bank said it updated its Sharpe Ratio basket, a list of 50 stocks with the highest expected risk-adjusted returns. So far, the basket has gained 3% year-to-date, edging past the S&P 500's 1.7% gain. The S&P 500's overall risk-adjusted return has been "lower than usual" so far in 2025, the strategists said, pointing to increased volatility and lower-than-average returns stemming from fears around tariffs. The bank rebalanced its portfolio by choosing stocks with a high prospective Sharpe Ratio, a gauge for risk-adjusted returns calculated by dividing a percentage return to a stock's consensus 12-month price target by its six-month option-implied volatility. "Currently, the median S&P 500 stock is expected to post an 11% return to its 12-month consensus price target with a 6-month implied volatility of 28, yielding a prospective risk-adjusted return of 0.4," the bank wrote. Here are the top 10 newest additions to Goldman's Sharpe basket. Ticker: MRNA Return to consensus price target: 88% Expected return over implied volatility: 1.3 Ticker: VTRS Return to consensus price target: 61% Expected return over implied volatility: 1.5 Ticker: ENPH Return from consensus price target: 45% Expected return over implied volatility: 0.6 Ticker: PCG Return to consensus price target: 45% Expected return over implied volatility: 1.1 Ticker: TMO Return to consensus price target: 42% Expected return over implied volatility: 1.2 Ticker: FI Return to consensus price target: 37% Expected return over implied volatility: 1.2 Ticker: COO Return to consensus price target: 37% Expected return over implied volatility: 1.2 Ticker: CRM Return to consensus price target: 37% Expected return over implied volatility: 1.1 Ticker: LEN Return to consensus price target: 34% Expected return over implied volatility: 0.9 Ticker: EPAM Return to consensus price target: 33% Expected return over implied volatility: 0.8 Read the original article on Business Insider
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Meta's CTO says OpenAI's Sam Altman countered Meta's massive AI signing bonuses
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said Meta was trying to poach AI talent with $100M signing bonuses. Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth told CNBC that Altman didn't mention how OpenAI was countering offers. Bosworth said the market rate he's seeing for AI talent has been "unprecedented." OpenAI's Sam Altman recently called Meta's attempts to poach top AI talent from his company with $100 million signing bonuses "crazy." Andrew Bosworth, Meta's chief technology officer, says OpenAI has been countering those crazy offers. Bosworth said in an interview with CNBC's "Closing Bell: Overtime" on Friday that Altman "neglected to mention that he's countering those offers." The OpenAI CEO recently disclosed how Meta was offering massive signing bonuses to his employees during an interview on his brother's podcast, "Uncapped with Jack Altman." The executive said "none of our best people" had taken Meta's offers, but he didn't say whether OpenAI countered the signing bonuses to retain those top employees. OpenAI and Meta did not respond to requests for comment. The Meta CTO said these large signing bonuses are a sign of the market setting a rate for top AI talent. "The market is setting a rate here for a level of talent which is really incredible and kind of unprecedented in my 20-year career as a technology executive," Bosworth said. "But that is a great credit to these individuals who, five or six years ago, put their head down and decided to spend their time on a then-unproven technology which they pioneered and have established themselves as a relatively small pool of people who can command incredible market premium for the talent they've raised." Meta, on June 12, announced that it had bought a 49% stake in Scale AI, a data company, for $14.8 billion as the social media company continues its artificial intelligence development. Business Insider's chief media and tech correspondent Peter Kafka noted that the move appears to be an expensive acquihire of Scale AI's CEO, Alexandr Wang, and some of the data company's top executives. Bosworth told CNBC that the large offers for AI talent will encourage others to build their expertise and, as a result, the numbers will look different in a couple of years. "But today, it's a relatively small number and I think they've earned it," he said. Read the original article on Business Insider
Yahoo
39 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Texas Roadhouse set for September opening in Santa Fe with staff of 200 workers
Officials from a Louisville, Ky.-based restaurant chain that is opening a location in Santa Fe say they are on target for a fall opening here and plan on hiring 200 workers. A Texas Roadhouse location is under construction at 4399 Cerrillos Road in Santa Fe and is expected to open in September, according to spokesperson Stephanie Keck. According to a news release, Texas Roadhouse is encouraging potential employees to apply through an online portal at Keck said applications for all positions are being accepted. 'We will be filling positions and then training a little bit closer to the opening date,' she said. Texas Roadhouse has more than 720 locations in 49 states and 10 countries. It operates two eateries in Albuquerque and others in Las Cruces and Hobbs, Keck said, but this will be its first restaurant in Santa Fe. 'Santa Fe is a very exciting, amazing, beautiful place,' she said. 'We're really excited to bring our amazing food and legendary service to the community.' The eatery is known for its steaks, ribs, chicken and hamburgers, along with its unlimited fresh-baked bread and peanuts. Construction on the 7,900-square-foot Santa Fe location began last year, according to the news release. The restaurant will be open from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
