PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Many people in downtown Portsmouth turned to the Dollar General on High Street for groceries, but the store closed. They said they were in what's called a 'food desert.' Now, one local business owner hopes to fill the void, giving folks an option to get fresh fruit, vegetables and more.
On High Street in Portsmouth's Olde Towne you'll find the Market Street & General Store.
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It's where Tony Goodwin opened a fresh market.
"My dad started this to help teach me about business and be an entrepreneur. He got my grandmother involved as well. The three of us work together to help run this store and help the community," said Tony's daughter Lindsay Goodwin.
They recognized the need.
"Downtown is made up of about 8 blocks, the original town, we have a couple of convenience stores and they fill a need in some ways but we really don't have access to farm-to-table products," said Tony Goodwin, owner of Market Street & General Store.
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"It's important for the families in Olde Towne to be able to get a fresh meal on the table every night and it's important to us to provide that," said Lindsay Goodwin.
The General Store's been around for roughly two years, but the market full of grocery basics opened last month. They partnered with the Mid-Atlantic Black Farmer's Caucus off the eastern shore to get produce, and they're working to add a snack bar, stock locally baked artisan bread, and more.
They want to see downtown Portsmouth be a place where folks can live and work with necessities nearby.
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"Portsmouth is in the center of Hampton Roads and it literally is geographically, but we really feel like it gives us an opportunity to shine. Not only to the citizens who live here but also to visitors from all over the region," said Tony Goodwin.
They said since opening they've had some slow growth and expect to see more visitors this autumn as events around Portsmouth kick off.
