Downtown Atlanta is getting a much-needed boost in access to fresh food with the opening of the city’s first municipal grocery store. The Azalea Fresh Market, opening Friday near Five Points MARTA Station and Georgia State University, aims to fill a long-standing gap in a neighborhood once considered a food desert.
City officials invested $3.5 million in the project, partnering with local grocer Savi Provisions to bring affordable produce and everyday essentials to residents, students, and workers who have struggled to find nearby options.
Mayor Andre Dickens called the store a “game-changer” for the area, noting that many residents have had to rely on long drives or convenience shops for basic groceries. Students say the store’s central location will make daily life easier, especially with dorm kitchens just steps away.
General manager Jada Powell added that even during construction, workers had trouble finding something as simple as bottled water nearby—underscoring how vital the market will be. “This isn’t just a store,” she said. “It’s access, it’s convenience, and it’s community.”
(Photo by TAMI CHAPPELL/AFP via Getty Images)
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