Two University of Pennsylvania graduates are introducing a healthier take on the neighborhood corner store, where SNAP recipients can purchase fresh, nutritious foods.
Eli Moraru and Alexandre Imbot began the project six years ago as undergraduate students under the guidance of South Philadelphia community leaders Charles and Tammy Reeves, who lead the nonprofit Resident Action Committee II. The nonprofit’s mission is to strengthen communities by providing resources, education and community events.
Moraru told Whatnow Philadelphia the pair distributed government-provided emergency food boxes during the height of the pandemic, gaining firsthand insight into the community’s broken food system and the barriers many residents faced in accessing good food.
“We began to look around and see that the only access point for food for our neighbors was the corner store. We have thousands of corner stores in Philadelphia, but they don’t sell any fresh or nutritious food—just really chips and soda,” he said.
After speaking with community members about their needs, Moraru said many residents wanted a neighborhood spot where they could grab a hot, healthy meal.
“We dove into Farm Bill [a federal law funding nutrition assistance programs] and found an effective way to allow SNAP recipients to utilize their benefits for a good meal. That was really opening, in our idea, the store of our dreams,” he said.
The Community Grocer is slated to debut this fall at 627 S. 60th St.
The duo purchased the 100-year-old property in 2023 without electricity, plumbing or windows and began transforming it into a space for groceries, prepared meals and educational programming.
“It’s a $2 million project. We raised a million dollars. We were able to secure some state funds. We were able to secure a loan as a startup nonprofit, really thinking through innovative ways to bring back fresh food access. That’s where we got creative, worked with health providers, and really dove into the world of food as medicine,” Moraru said.
Unit A will house the community grocery store and a basement prep kitchen for chopping, marinating and refrigerating farm-fresh ingredients sourced from local farmers, including FarmerJawn, the nation’s largest Black woman-owned organic produce farm.
“Think of it as your typical corner store size but instead of chips and soda, it’s farm fresh ingredients and ingredient kits,” he said.
The ingredient kits will include everything needed to prepare meals at home, though shoppers can also choose to have those same meals cooked next door in Unit B.
“Many of our neighbors have barriers, so they can walk into the community kitchen next door and trade in the ingredients they just purchased for the equivalent ready version of the raw chicken breast, grains and broccoli, but this time it’s cooked, with no additional charge,” Moraru said.
Unit B will also feature an upstairs educational center with elevator access, offering nutrition education classes and community programming.
Additionally, Moraru and Imbot plan to partner with health care providers on a grocery prescription program, allowing neighbors with chronic diet-related conditions to receive gift cards to The Community Grocer as part of a nutrition lifestyle intervention.
While the team is focused on opening its first store, Moraru and Imbot hope to eventually expand the initiative.
“Our goal is to pop up all across Philly and then be able to share the lessons we’ve learned here with the whole country so this model can be shared,” he said.
The team has not yet set an official opening date as construction continues. Visit The Community Grocer website and follow along on Instagram and Facebook for the latest updates.
