Dayton Gets Real: New grocery store opened today with purpose to ‘eliminate’ local food desert

TROTWOOD — A new grocery store opened today in Trotwood.

Before today, the two nearest grocery stores were the Drexel Foodtown on West Third Street and the Kroger near Englewood.

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The grand opening of the new Gordon Food Service (GFS) store took place today at 9 a.m. at the 5000 block of Salem Avenue.

City leaders hoped this new store would eliminate a food desert. News Center 7′s Xavier Hershovitz was there when the door opened.

Trotwood Mayor Mary McDonald said the nearest full-service grocery store is Food Town on West Third Street.

It’s about a 10-minute drive from the new GFS but much farther for people living in the northern part of Trotwood.

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As soon as the doors open, a sea of people flooded the store, showing the need that is being met with this store.

“I got up early this morning haha my mom always told me early bird catches the worm,” Trotwood Resident Jackie Gist-Momin said.

Gist-Momin was one of many who came to check out the new Gordon Food Services store.

“I’ve lived out here 17 years and it’s been a long time waiting. It really has and I’m excited,” Gist-Momin told Hershovitz.

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Trotwood has been considered a food desert for a long time, with no full-service grocery store in the city limits.

Gist-Momin told Hershovitz she usually drives 20 minutes to Englewood for her groceries.

“A lot of seniors live here. They don’t want to have to go way out. We want to stay in our community and I believe my money belongs here. This is where it belongs,” Gist-Momin said.

Eliminating the food desert status was a priority for Trotwood Mayor Mary McDonald.

“It’s such an exciting time for the community. We waited years for this. To have the title food desert taken off by our community... it’s something that makes me so proud,” McDonald said.

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This GFS store is a little bit different than the typical Gordon’s store, focusing on fresh produce, meat, and even smaller, retail-sized items rather than the usual bulk items.

“And I like it because the quantity of things in here are smaller. where I don’t have to buy it in big bulk,” Gist-Momin said.

Gist-Momin and others in the Trotwood community told Hershovitz they are proud to have a grocery store back in their city.

“Our citizens are valued, that our dollars are valued, that people are going to be able to say, You know what, I’ve got a grocery store in my community. I don’t have to go outside to other things,” McDonald said.

The store will be open from 7 am. until 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and will open at 9 a.m. on Sunday.

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