Do you make a point of buying things that are made in Erie? According to the American Business Alliance, buying locally “creates more local wealth and jobs.” Additionally, the Forbes’ Retail blog noted this November that 48 percent of purchases “at local independent businesses” are “re-circulated locally, compared to less than 14 percent of purchases at chain stores.”
By definition, a food desert is a neighborhood without a grocery store within one mile. When Bradley’s Shur-fine on West Eighth Street closes in a few weeks, downtown Erie will meet this criteria. Residents without the means (or ability) to own and drive a car will have to find a ride for the four to twelve miles round-trip to the nearest grocery store: Erie County Farms (2256 Broad St.); Wegmans (6143 Peach St.); Yorktown’s Giant Eagle (2501 W. 12 St.); Whole Foods Cooperative (1341 W. 26 St.), or a Tops Market (1520 W. 26 St., 712 W. 38 St. or 1702 E. 38 St.)
