State providing financial assistance for healthy corner stores

TULSA - A new state law aims to create more locally owned, healthy grocery stores by providing $350,000 low interest loans that become available in November.

One of the goals is to combat Oklahoma's obesity problem, by providing a healthy alternative to shopping at convenience stores.

Deborah Perry is trying to open such a store in the Pearl District, an area of midtown that's being re-developed. The site she hopes to lease at the corner of 6th and Peoria needs a lot of work; but Perry sees the potential.

"The tenant at the end and I will have sidewalk seating. It'll be cafe style," Perry described. "You can ride up, walk off your bike, have a little cool drink on the patio and talk to friends."

That community concept is working well at the Westside Harvest Market. It opened just over a year ago, right next to the Eugene Field Elementary School in West Tulsa.

Director Clark Milspaugh says the market primarily serves low income families, who don't have the means to drive several miles to a grocery store.

"It's almost a full day adventure or half day for them to get on a bus, with children in tow. You can just imagine trying to buy milk or ice cream or anything else," Milspaugh said.

Prices here also match or beat what the big grocery stores charge, even though the market buys retail. That's okay, because the store is part of a non-profit ministry. But it's a problem for entrepreneurs trying to make a living.

"Economics is a big concern. That's really why we don't have any small markets now. They got put out of business by the big superstores and the major supermarkets," said Perry.

Steve Eberle with the Indian Health Care Resource Center is working to overcome that roadblack.

"Right now, you have to buy $15,000 of inventory each week to run a store," Eberle said.

He's part of a group forming a co-op that will sell groceries at wholesale prices on a smaller scale.

"The corner stores of the past put their kids through college and their grandkids through college. So, they can make money and they will make money," said Eberle.