FLINT, MI — In less than six months, the much anticipated Hamady Complete Food Center is set to officially close tomorrow or Wednesday at the latest, according to store employees.
The store had a number of setbacks prior to it’s opening in July, stemming from lack of construction permits, inspections, and shortage of employees.
Store owner, Jim McColgan, declined to comment about the store’s closing but said he has scheduled a press conference for Wednesday, Nov. 7 but did not disclose the location or time.
A store employee who has not been named said, the store did not receive enough community support. It’s early conclusion will be the most recent in a series of closed grocery stores in the city of Flint, leaving residents without a major grocery store in the city’s north side.
Flint water crisis persists, still no grocery store for city’s north side
Within the flux of the Flint’s water crisis, the closing of Hamady hints to Flint’s ongoing food desert. With the lack of access to fresh produce, the fight against lead poisoning leaves some at a disadvantage.
Access to fresh produce is cited as a preventative measure against the effects of lead intake resulting in high blood levels, especially in children. In 2015, it was discovered that Flint children had elevated blood lead levels after the state switched Flint’s water source from Detroit to the Flint River in 2014. That same year, the city began losing grocery stores starting with the close of the Pierson Road Kroger. In 2015, the Davison Road Kroger closed, followed by the close of the Meijer on Pierson Road leaving some Flint residents with little options.
This can’t be for real…it just opened, we can’t lose a Flint landmark again…they need to keep it open, keep Hamady’s going!
What’s the solution? Maybe the community members need to talk to management about their issues to see if owners will address them before closing.
Don’t blame lack of community support. Blame limited options for community to choose from on the shelves. I tried to support the store. They barely had anything I needed.
Same here. They are charging high prices for off name brand items. I decided last week to patronize Krogers in Flushing. Hamady’s remind me of Mr. B’s grocery store, not for me.
Geeze maybe yet another ,,,begging a Grant from the -Charles and Ruth Mott foundation is in order —
derekadam_1@yahoo.com. Isn’t the flint farmers market now downtown? Can’t one buy fresh produce that is locally grown ?
My suggestion would be to move to the Kroger location that just closed on Fenton Road, there is already a customer base that is very disappointed in the Kroger closing of that location.
I shopped in there a couple of times. Not enough food options.
Well, I figured they wouldn’t make it. For him to say lack of employees is wrong, I was hired the end of Jan 2018 an call for months an I was hired in management full time. When the time came they were only offering part time an 11 bucks. They had poorly planned for the opening. The distribution had back out because of there previous financial problems. His own partner split an they cut a deal with China for 10yrs. I worked for them in the 80’s and was excited when they first come. But during the 7 month process I knew they would fold. I declined employment because of that an look not even 6 months. I feel bad for employees that left a job with security to go there.
I lived in Flint many years ago. So sad to see another business fail. In order for Flint to succeed it has to get the crime rate under control . You will then see companies returning and the population will grow. Hope Flint can make this happen.
Their prices were much higher than their competition. Mainly meijer’s, Kroger & aldi’s plus I heard they had a big problem with theft.
Their prices were very high, plus I heard they had a big problem with theft.