Hartford Nonprofit Opens Grocery Store To Improve Food Access

HARTFORD, CT — A local nonprofit Thursday opened a new grocery store in the city that aims to make one local neighborhood less of a so-called "food desert."

An urban bugaboo, "food deserts" often occur when there is a lack of grocery options for residents in some cities, with limited options for healthy, affordable food, especially fruits and vegetables.

After two years of work, Hartford-based Forge City Works is opening up a new grocery store in the Frog Hollow section of the city at 563 Broad St., Hartford.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was planned for the new "The Grocery on Broad," which aims to "meet the needs of our community," wrote store officials Wednesday.

Forge City Works is a Hartford nonprofit that specializes in both food insecurity/access programs and job training programs involving its various, food-centric enterprises.

"Our aim is to provide access to quality, fresh, and wholesome food, and groceries to overcome the challenges of food insecurity and limited food access in the community," wrote Forge City on its website regarding the new grocery.

"However, our store is for everyone, not just those in need. We plan to offer various programs, such as SNAP Doubling and a sliding scale pricing model, to destigmatize the process of seeking assistance and access to food."

For now, the store hours will be limited to late morning into the mid-afternoon as it trains its staff and fully stocks its shelves.

"We will have limited hours and inventory for the first few weeks, as we continue to train our staff and develop our operation," wrote "Grocery on Broad."

For more information on Forge City Works, click on this link.

For more information on "Grocery on Broad," including store hours, click on this link.

To view several photos of "Grocery on Broad," click on this link.