Community leaders celebrated the opening of Gettysburg Grocery, a $20 million project bringing fresh food and more to West Dayton.
The store hosted its grand opening on Feb. 6, inviting community members and leaders to shop at the grocery store.
Homefull organized the project as part of its home base on 16 acres off of Gettysburg Avenue. The nonprofit works to end homelessness by providing housing, advocacy, education and other services.
"We've been in our soft opening for the grocery store for a couple of weeks and it's been remarkable for me," said Tina Patterson, CEO of Homefull. "People that have come in from our neighborhood and everything and said 'It is prettier and more beautiful than I expected.'"
Gettysburg Grocery is located at the site of the former Carlson Elementary School.
Montgomery County Commissioners Judge Dodge, Carolyn Rice and Mary McDonald joined Dayton Mayor Jeffrey Mims at the ribbon cutting on Thursday.
"As you look around Dayton, not just here, not just downtown, look at all parts of this city, we're not where we want to be," Mims said. "But we sure as hell are moving at a whole fast pace to get to where we want to be, to make sure we create all those opportunities for you to be successful and to be important citizens and contributing citizen."
The site is home to a fully-stocked grocery, Ziks family-run pharmacy and Kettering Health medical offices.
"The grocery store is amazing, number one, but then look at the other spaces. Because we'll have programs here in coordination with the health center," said Kettering Health's Community Outreach Manager, Laurie Jakoplic, who attended the grand opening.
Danny Moore came to visit for the grand opening. Moore lives just down the street from the grocery store and said having his doctor in the same building where he shops is a blessing.
“I’m glad for the revitalization of this neighborhood," he said. "I went to Carlson before this was the grocery store a long time ago. And preschool and kindergarten. So to see it come back to life is amazing.”
Gettysburg Grocery is offering special discounts including 10% off loyalty members’ first purchases through Feb. 16.
Dolores Walker is a new customer who was born and raised in Dayton. Walker said she used to take a shuttle to shop at Walmart and Kroger but has seen more variety while shopping at Gettysburg Grocery.
“I'm impressed. If they keep it stocked like this all the time, it's going to be one of the favorite places I come to,” she said.
City Commissioner Chris Shaw said the West Dayton community is starting to see a rebirth and revitalization which the grocery store will push forward.
"I'm just glad for your support and this is a conversation about collaboration, really," he said at the opening. "This facility, Kettering Health, Ziks Pharmacy and so many others are impacting this neighborhood, this community in such a magnificent way."
Tim Dutton, president of Homefull's Board of Directors, said he would summarize this project in three words: purpose, pride and potential.
"We're lighting the way for what can be achieved when purpose guides us, pride drives us and potential inspires us," he said.
