The closing of a West Dallas grocery store has area residents who depended on the store looking for other ways to get access to healthy food.
The Cash Saver grocery store, which had been at the corner of Singleton and Hampton since 2019, was the only major grocer in the area before it closed in late October. It had previously been a Fiesta Mart before that too closed several years ago.
Michael, who is disabled and gets around in an electric wheelchair, lives in an assisted living facility in the area. He said he was shocked and disappointed when he heard about the store closing.
“It made everyone feel sad that they were leaving or closing down,” said Michael, who only wanted to give his first name. “We know all the workers here and everything. This is the closest one we have to come to. Everyone around here knows this one. There are other places, but this is the main one for the community right here.”
The store, located in a shopping center next to clothing stores and an auto parts shop, has signs that read “permanently closed” on its doors. The pharmacy will be closed in the coming days.
Cash Saver’s closure contributes to food insecurity in the area, with few grocery stores in the vicinity.
The closest alternative – Jerry's Supermarket – is a little less than a mile away; a Sprouts opened earlier this year on Hampton and Fort Worth Boulevard about a mile and a half down the road. The USDA categorizes the neighborhood as “low income” and “low access.”
“I've heard residents having difficulty with transportation, and so some of them are ride sharing, and having to go to grocery stores that are just right outside of the community,” said District 6 Dallas City Council member Laura Cadena, who represents the neighborhood where the store is located.
She said her office had no notice Cash Saver was going to close.
She's been in contact with the owner of the shopping center to figure what resources the city can offer--and to advocate for a grocery store for the community.
“We're a growing community, very diverse, and our residents deserve to have a grocery store that's easily accessible with fresh fruits and vegetables right there in their neighborhood,” she said.
For now, Brother Bill’s Helping Hand, a nearby food bank, is helping fill the gaps. COO Courtney Cuthbert said they saw an increase in need during the government shutdown.
“Honestly even before the government shutdown, you know, it just seems like the need has increased this year,” she said.
She said in 2024, Brother Bill’s served 3.3 million pounds of food at their four food pantries throughout Dallas; so far this year, they have distributed 3.5 million pounds of food– or, about 3 million meals.
Cuthbert attributes the increase to inflation, the federal government shutdown, and cuts to SNAP benefits this month.
They added two distribution days recently, specifically to serve government workers affected by the shutdown, and for families affected by the loss of SNAP benefits. Many families are seeking assistance for the first time.
“Between the two days, we served about 170 or 180 families that had never been to Brother Bill's before, or really any food pantry before," Cuthbert said.
Priscilla Rice is KERA’s communities reporter. Got a tip? Email her at price@kera.org.
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