Story and photos by Sonya Hollins, editor
editor@comvoicesonline.com
KALAMAZOO (Mich.)-Pam Roland had some hungry girls to feed at her Kalamazoo Junior Girls’ Organization summer camp. To provide a healthy, and filling snack she decided to head to the Park Street Market.
“The girls wanted hot dogs, chips and cookies, but I’ll bring them some healthy foods too, they need that,” said Roland. “I grew up here on Park Street and it’s good to be able to run to a store in the neighborhood that has good prices and good food.”
Roland was one of many shoppers who shared their enthusiasm for the Park Street Market located in the former Spartan Foods Felpausch Store site at 512 N. Park St. Tina Burch, public relations director of Park Street Market said Roland is not the only one singing these praises.
“So many people come and are impressed at the low prices, the look of the store, the service. We have had many people say, ‘I’ll be back,'” said Burch.
It was Burch who felt convicted to do something to bring Park Street Market to the community. After learning of it’s closing, she convinced Detroit-based Shina Brothers to visit the empty store in hopes they would reopen it. The family owns 14 stores in the Detroit area and Burch said when visiting Detroit she was always impressed with the cleanliness and affordable prices their stores offered. They finally agreed to visit the location, liked it and opened the store on June 24 with media and local leaders in attendance.
“Kalamazoo is a good, nice city and we’re happy to be here,” said Kiar Gamsho, director of operations. “We want to do the most for our customers and provide bagger assistance to those who need it. Detroit is a big city and sometimes we see too many vacant buildings; that takes away from the city. Kalamazoo is built on corporations and giving back to the community and we see that in the short time we’ve been here.”
While Burch and the Shina Brothers were excited, they said some local leaders who were invited did not come to show their support. This was concerning as there was great fan fare and celebration during the original opening of the Felpausch Food store in that location in 2003.
Then, local leaders supported with store with thousands of dollars, a choir performance and special presentations. The bronze tree listing supporters of that 2003 initiative still hangs in the entrance of the store. That Felpausch store, a property of the Northside Association for Community Development, operated from 2003-2009.
Even in its emptiness however, the City of Kalamazoo (according to a Kalamazoo Gazette article) provided $50,000 in funds for the upkeep of the building while vacant. Funding also has been provided by NACD for training of workers and security for the current store.
In the meantime, Burch said the new management has stepped up and filled in all necessary needs from security to training of its nearly 50 employees, and also pays the required $6,187 monthly rent to NACD in a sub-leasing agreement with Spartan Foods (former store operators). The Shina Brothers have spent nearly half a million of their own dollars to bring the store to a fresh new level of service for the community. She has gone out into the community to speak with local leaders to harness support in bringing shoppers into the store. Also, she has visited with the local Hispanic American Council and asked which foods they would most like to see provided and have fulfilled that request.
In the future Park Street Market would like to add on pharmacy and banking opportunities to its customers. Those who donate blood at the Plasma Bank a block from the store, are welcome to bring their checks in for cashing.
As customers scope they isles they purchase everything from greens to an already cooked 12-piece chicken platter available for $5.99. Customers like Dean Roberson said he likes the new store and said the former store’s prices were too high for him.
“I wasn’t a fan of the old store,” said Roberson who grew up on the Northside and remembers various family grocers like, Jacksons. “These (owners and staff) are professional and the prices and food are much better.”
