HAC, Restore OKC Ready 2 New Stores for Oklahoma City ‘Food Desert’

After more than 20 years, a food desert in Oklahoma City is gaining not one, but two grocery stores—a full-size 30,000-square-foot Homeland and a 7,000-square-foot Market at EastPoint store—thanks to a partnership between HAC Stores, Inc. and the nonprofit Restore OKC. Construction on the Homeland store at 36th and Lincoln is currently underway. The store is slated to open in fall 2021. The smaller Market at EastPoint will be located at 1708 N.E. 23rd Street. 

“While the Northeast Oklahoma City community includes several fast food and convenience store locations, our closest Homeland store is over two miles away. With that distance, transportation can be challenging within the neighborhood,” Laura Zappi, HAC, Inc. director of marketing told WGB. “This new store offers an opportunity for residents to have easier access to broader, fresher food options.” 

HAC, whose corporate offices are in Northeast Oklahoma City, currently operates 80 stores in Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas and Georgia under a variety of banners including Homeland (its largest), Food World, Piggly Wiggly, Country Mart, United and Cash Saver.

Though a considerably smaller footprint, The Market at EastPoint will be packed with fresh food, says Zappi. “The Market at EastPoint will include an array of fresh offerings such as organic fruits and vegetables grown on Restore OKC’s Urban Farm. Additionally, freshly baked breads and ready-to-eat hot food will be prepared by a local community chef. There will also be fresh dairy and a full-service meat and seafood department, similar to those you would find in our Homeland stores. 

“HAC is working alongside Restore OKC in pioneering this new public-private partnership around the issue of food security for those most in need of affordable food,” continues Zappi.

Restore OKC is providing the store space and equipment, while HAC is providing the inventory, grocery expertise and systems to make the stores operational. “Once The Market at EastPoint opens, we expect that most of the staff in this store will be Restore OKC staff and we will be providing management and guidance,” she added.