When LaJuan Clemons was growing up in Gary, he remembers visiting a corner store to grab candy and snacks. The city doesn’t have the same resources that Clemons saw in his childhood.
“There’s more dollar stores or gas stations to get candy or potato chips, and then the next aisle is bottles of liquor,” Clemons said. “The times have changed as far as what we’ve allowed our community to do with corner stores and gas stations..”
Now, Clemons is working as founder of the Gary Food Collective and trying to create opportunities for more food security in the city. Other operations are also doing what they can to help.
“It’s going to get worse as far as food insecurity goes because of things that are being cut, like (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits,” said Freida Graves, director of Food is Medicine for Faith CDC. “But, I do think community grocery stores can still serve with food hubs. There doesn’t have to be a one-stop shop for everything.”
Miller K Market and Save More Foods are two Gary grocery stores that closed but have since reopened after successful health and safety inspections, Mayor Eddie Melton announced in a Friday Facebook post.
The city also announced in a news release that the actions are part of a “renewed and coordinated effort to raise standards and hold businesses accountable.” None of the businesses have been permanently closed, and temporary closure is to help ensure compliance after prior warnings were issued, Melton said.
“Our residents deserve to know they can trust the businesses operating in their community,” Melton said in a news release. “We are raising our expectations for all food and grocery establishments in Gary. We will no longer tolerate establishments that cut corners and compromise public health by neglecting their responsibility to provide fresh, quality food and safe conditions. Our citizens deserve nothing less than the highest quality of standards.”
A city representative released the health inspection reports for Miller K Market and Save More.
Miller K Market had three days to correct two errors following a routine inspection, according to Gary Health Department documents. The store was required to complete general cleaning, including on the floors, walls, ceiling and coolers, and the document detailed a “mold type substance” in the cooler. There was also expired food in the cooler and freezer, including sausage, bacon and fish.
All errors were corrected by the Sept. 5 follow-up inspection.
Issues at Save More were expected to be completed in one week, according to a document detailing the Sept. 2 inspection. Those included areas throughout the facility with dirt and grime, a meat cooler in disrepair, plastic covered with meat grime, multiple missing tiles and plumbing under a meat cooler in disrepair.
The health department also noted a handwashing sink was not properly stocked, according to the document, and that was expected to be corrected the same day.
All issues were corrected by a Sept. 5 follow-up inspection, according to the health department documents.
Representatives from Miller K Market and Save More were both unable to comment Wednesday. Both announced they were reopened in Facebook posts, ensuring residents that they will continue to improve services.
“We are not just reopening, we are recommitting to doing things better, learning from this experience,” said the Friday Facebook post from Save More Foods. “Thank you for your continued support, patience and understanding. We look forward to serving you again and earning back your confidence.”
Graves is happy to see the city hold stores accountable and ensure they’re providing safe food for Gary residents. She thinks these actions should have been done a while ago, Graves said.
“I think they’re doing a wonderful job,” she added. “I think (grocery stores) have to work with the health department to get their stores up to par and not just do the bare minimum — do what’s best for your community.”
She believes Faith CDC can help Gary residents also access safe and healthy foods, and it can bring services to them when others might not be able to.
“I believe it’s imperative because people need access to fresh, healthy food,” Graves said. “We are getting fabulous results from physicians and medical providers about blood pressure going down and weight loss because of these programs we’ve been doing.”
Graves thinks it’s important to help those who struggle with food access and transportation, such as senior residents, she said.
The Gary Public Transportation Corporation bus service will provide increased rides to other grocery stores via the R3 and Broadway routes, Melton said, and it will be free of charge to assist residents in accessing fresh food.
The city has also worked with Indiana University Northwest’s Center for Urban and Regional Excellence on the issue of food deserts. Melton advised residents to call 219-882-5565 to report any health violations and 219-881-1400 for fire, building or safety issues.
Clemons previously called the closures “a public health and economic emergency” that can make way for diet-related illnesses, food insecurity and financial strain.
“It’s like a system collapsing,” Clemons said Wednesday. “It’s failed the community because (the system) wasn’t built to sustain itself.”
Clemons is pleased to see city officials hold businesses accountable for unhealthy practices, and he believes it will help ensure residents have the most nutritious food.
Clemons started the Gary Food Collective to help connect residents to healthy food, and he’s hoping to open a store at 2113 Broadway that would be owned locally, reinvest profits in the community and increase access to various items, including fresh produce, herbs, baby food and locally sourced products.
He began to look at properties about a year ago and is still solidifying partnerships and investments for a new grocery store.
Clemons hopes people will take food security seriously, especially after the closure and reopening of Miller K Market and Save More. Food security is important for everyone, and he hopes people see that more now, Clemons said.
“Hungry children can’t learn in school, hungry families can’t thrive at work, and hunger breeds desperation, and desperation breeds instability,” Clemons said. “You can’t talk about safety, jobs or education if people don’t know where their next meal is coming from. Food insecurity is not a side issue, and I think a lot of people make it that.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/09/11/gary-food-advocates-react-to-grocery-stores-reopening/
