New grocery store aims to address downtown Atlanta food desert
Hundreds of people in 2023 signed a petition for an unlikely cause — to keep a Walgreens open in downtown Atlanta.
The Walgreens, housed in the historic Olympia building in Five Points, was seen as a crucial place for daily necessities downtown, which has long lacked a grocery store in its walkable urban core. But the pharmacy closed for good in April 2024, disappointing nearby college students and residents.
Now, the building, known for its iconic Coca-Cola sign and prime spot by Woodruff Park, is filled with aisles of fresh produce, canned goods and frozen foods.
The city of Atlanta is launching its first municipal grocery store, called Azalea Fresh Market. Media on Thursday got a tour from city officials, including Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens.
But the store’s opening is delayed because necessary equipment didn’t arrive on time. It could open in the next week.
Azalea Fresh Market is a partnership between the city and Savi Provisions, which operates gourmet markets across the metro area. But this venture is different, said Savi Provisions founder Paul Nair.
He called Azalea Fresh Market a full supermarket. It has about 60,000 items, including every conventional department except fresh seafood.
“This is all about giving back,” Nair said. “The whole idea behind Azalea Market is to address the food desert issue. … We want to prove that it can be done.”
Nair said he’s partnered with the Independent Grocers Alliance to improve his buying power and source affordable items. “Affordability is one of the key things, so we are trying to get pricing as close to other supermarkets,” he said.
Upstairs, Nair said there will be a Dope Coffee bar, a sushi counter, and a full kitchen serving dozens of hot and cold food items, from deli sandwiches to pizza.
Azalea Fresh Market opens as city officials work to revitalize downtown ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, when Atlanta will host eight matches. Other efforts include transforming the former Atlanta Constitution building, which has sat vacant for half a century, into affordable housing.
Dickens has focused on bringing more affordable grocery options to areas in need. In late 2024, Invest Atlanta, the city’s economic development agency, awarded Savi Provisions more than $8 million in financial initiatives to open grocery stores in areas the city deemed as food deserts. That includes the downtown location and another along Campbellton Road, which Nair hopes to open later this year.
Grocery stores are often seen as economic catalysts that can fuel demand for residential housing and improve quality of life for existing residents.
Nair said he has seen how a market can transform a community. In 2009, he opened the first Savi Provisions in Inman Park.
“It was not the Inman Park you see today,” he said. “That actually spurred the growth dramatically. And we are hoping to do the same thing to downtown.”
About 34,000 residents live downtown, according to Central Atlanta Progress. Another 35,000 students attend Georgia State University.
“Many of us who either live, work or visit downtown on a consistent basis recognize that this type of amenity will be well received by all,” A.J. Robinson, president of Central Atlanta Progress, said in an email. “It is another important step to attract further residential development and mixed-use vitality to our marketplace.”
Kyle Kessler has lived downtown for nearly 20 years, about two blocks from the new grocery store, and said one of the top questions he gets is “but where do you grocery shop?”
He’s cautiously optimistic about Azalea Fresh Market. Grocery stores have failed before, he said, such as a former Kroger near Atlanta City Hall. Other proposals, such as a Walmart at Underground Atlanta, never came to be.
“Grocery stores have been part of the pitch for a while, so not wanting to get my hopes up too high,” said Kessler, director of policy and research at the Center for Civic Innovation and a licensed architect. “But the prospects do look good for this. Something that is clearly grocery-oriented, I think, will be very well received.”
Downtown is now seeing a wave of new apartment construction, with more than 4,000 units in the five-year pipeline, according to Central Atlanta Progress. One new tower, The Mitchell at Centennial Yards, began leasing this summer.
“I predict this will not be the last new food market opening you hear about due to the current trajectory of downtown development,” Robinson said.
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