Only grocery store in South Carolina town closes - leaving locals facing five hour trek for fresh food

Trending 3 days ago

A South Carolina municipality is losing its only market shop successful a matter of days, leaving locals facing a agelong travel to get caller food. 

The IGA shop successful Pamplico, Florence County, has been unfastened for decades - but it is owed to adjacent connected September 27. 

The nearest market shop is 15 miles distant successful a adjacent town. For those pinch a car, that is simply a 20 infinitesimal drive. For those without they must hitch a assistance aliases locomotion 5 hours since location is nary nationalist transport.

It makes Pamplico nan latest of America's a alleged nutrient deserts -  which hap erstwhile a 3rd of group successful a agrarian area are much than 10 miles from a supermarket. Around 19 cardinal now look that reality.

The store's lease was owed to expire soon truthful nan institution decided not to renew it, a typical from Alex Lee, IGA's genitor company, told WBTW News13.  

The location is older and smaller than others, they added, and location are different IGA stores successful nan area. 

An IGA shop successful Pamplico, Florence County, which has been moving for decades, is owed to adjacent connected September 27

The spokesperson said that each nan 26 labor will beryllium capable to get jobs astatine different IGA stores successful nan surrounding area. 

The institution tried to find different retailer to move into nan building and run it arsenic a market store, but were unsuccessful successful their efforts, they added. 

Local Tiffanie Wright said she would miss having a afloat market shop successful nan area, and that she feels for those who cannot thrust to a different location further away. 

'This is nan only shop we person down present pinch groceries,' she told WBTW News13. 

'I cognize we sewage a Dollar General down nan road, but it [doesn't] person that overmuch worldly that IGA has,' she said. 

'But I conscionable benignant of dislike it for, you know, nan group who don't moreover person cars aliases thing for illustration that. They've sewage to find a thrust to nan store.'

The nearest market shop for Pamplico residents is now 15 miles distant successful KJ's Market successful Florence.  

It comes amid concerns of a rising number of nutrient deserts successful nan US - wherever affordable and caller nutrient is not accessible to communities. 

According to nan USDA, a nutrient godforsaken occurs erstwhile much than 33 percent of nan organization successful municipality spaces is further than 1 mile from a supermarket. 

In a agrarian setting, 33 percent of group must beryllium much than 10 miles from a supermarket. 

By this standard, complete 18 cardinal group lived successful nutrient deserts successful 2019, AP News reported. 

Shuttered stores mean group person small aliases nary entree to fresh, patient produce, forcing them to bargain packaged and highly processed foods. 

A alleged 'retail apocalypse' is sweeping nan US, pinch different types of stores closing crossed nan country. 

Local Tiffanie Wright said she would miss having a afloat market shop successful nan area, and that she feels for those who cannot thrust to a different location further away

The nearest market shop for Pamplico residents is now 15 miles distant successful KJ's Market successful Florence

The closure comes amid concerns of a rising number of nutrient deserts successful nan US - wherever affordable and caller nutrient is not accessible to communities

Many brick-and-mortar-locations are facing accrued moving costs and tight margins, while others are plagued pinch rampant theft. 

Even awesome retailers specified arsenic Macy's are closing stores crossed nan country, and it merged past period that Big Lots is shutting 315 stores crossed aggregate states arsenic its financial woes worsen.  

There were almost 2,600 shop closures successful nan first 4 months of 2024. If that inclination continues, almost 8,000 will person been mislaid by nan extremity of nan year.

In caller months, Walmart has closed three much of its underperforming locations. Best Buy closed ten in March.

Dollar stores person been deed difficult too, pinch 99 Cents Only announcing successful April it would shutter each 371 of its locations across California, Texas, Arizona and Nevada. 

The 1,000 closures of Family Dollar and its sister institution Dollar Tree will hap complete nan adjacent 3 years. 

Express - a promenade staple - revenge for bankruptcy successful April and said it would unopen 95 Express outlets alongside each of its UpWest stores.    

At nan commencement of May, Rue21 - nan teen manner concatenation that is simply a fixture successful malls crossed America -  also said it will unopen all  its 543 US stores after going bust.

Badcock Home Furniture & More said astatine nan extremity of July it is closing each its 380 stores dotted astir nan South aft it fell into bankruptcy earlier this year.

Source dailymail
dailymail