In a major step toward establishing a community-owned grocery store in South St. Petersburg, the One Community Grocery Co-op (OCGC) has officially executed a $50,000 predevelopment funding agreement with the City of St. Petersburg.
The newly secured municipal funds will support essential initial groundwork, including market analyses, business modeling, site selection, training, and community engagement expansion.
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“This agreement represents an investment not only in the development of a grocery store, but also in the capacity of South St. Petersburg residents to organize, learn, plan, and be an important part of our local food system,” said Erica “Zenzele” Hardison, Board President and Lead Steward of OCGC. “There is significant work ahead of us, and this funding gives us additional resources to do that work thoughtfully and responsibly.”
Earlier this month, OCGC member-owners, board members, and local partners gathered at the cooperative’s headquarters in the Historic Deuces Business District to celebrate and sign the agreement, recognizing the grassroots organizing that brought the project from a vision into technical planning.
With predevelopment activities actively underway, OCGC continues inviting South St. Pete residents to join as member-owners and participate directly in shaping the future storefront and food programs.
Building Capacity Beyond Bricks and Mortar
While the funding agreement was finalized, OCGC continued expanding its operational and educational capabilities. Recently, member-owners traveled to the Detroit area for a cooperative learning exchange, gaining insight into robust local food systems, urban agricultural operations, and community-owned enterprise models.
On the local front, the co-op also launched the latest round of its Produce Box Program to connect community members with fresh produce and refine supplier logistics.
“We often say that we are building the store before we build the store,” Hardison emphasized. “The brick-and-mortar grocery store is the long-term goal, but a community-owned grocery store requires more than a building. It requires informed and engaged member-owners, strong relationships with growers and partners, sound business planning, operating experience, and a community prepared to sustain what we build together.”
To learn more or get involved with One Community Grocery Co-op, visit www.ocgc.coop.
