ALBANY — There’s a hint of incredulity — and an even stronger touch of anger — in Cody McDaniel’s voice as he tells the story.
“I’ll never forget how (an unnamed competitor) paid pennies on the dollar to move the equipment out of here to keep this from becoming a grocery store,” McDaniel, who along with his brother, Kevin, is the owner of the Food For Less/Piggly Wiggly store at 1032 W. Gordon Ave., whose ribbon-cutting Wednesday morning was hailed as a godsend to residents of south Albany who live in one of the region’s notorious “food deserts.” “They were concerned with eliminating the competition at all costs.
“But these people, people who locate their grocery stores around the perimeter of the community with no concern for the single mother who may have to unload and reload her groceries at two separate bus stops or the elderly person who has no way of getting around, they didn’t count on the people of Albany. They didn’t count on government leaders who care about their citizens. They did not count on citizens who were determined to make this day happen.”
McDaniel paused for a brief moment to reflect on the meaning of the opening of the eighth store in his and his brother’s Southwest Piggly Wiggly Group portfolio.
“I appreciate what everyone here today has done to make this happen,” he said. “Today, we have officially eradicated a food desert. And I’m here to tell you that we will not let this city down.”
City of Albany officials, including Mayor Bo Dorough and City Commissioners Jon Howard, Demetrius Young and Vilnus Gaines, were among the dignitaries who gathered for the official ribbon-cutting of the Food For Less that already has been drawing large crowds of shoppers.
“One of my priorities I ran on in the mayoral campaign was to bring a grocery store to south Albany,” Dorough said in remarks before the ribbon-cutting. “We — and it was a team effort — worked hard to make this day happen.
“It’s a testament just to say, ‘We opened a grocery store here,’ but the true testament is those people walking in and out of the store with full shopping carts.”
Ward VI Commissioner Young called the opening of the store a “day of recovery.”
“This is a day of recovery for the people of south Albany, and it’s a day of recovery for this community,” Young said. “You look at the census tracks, look at the health statistics coming from Phoebe: The Zip Code around here shows a record of poor health that you find in a food desert like we’ve had here. Look at the infant mortality, the diabetes numbers.
“You listen to the story (told by McDaniel) about efforts to keep from bringing a grocery store here, and it’s tragic. Fortunately, these gentlemen (the McDaniels) came along, and they saw an opportunity. Hopefully, this is just a first step, one that we can build on.”
Store Manager Henry Ball, who introduced members of his staff, said the opening of the Food For Less/Piggly Wiggly store brought 70 new jobs to the community, most of whom are residents of south Albany.
Dorough said the “anchor tenant” in the shopping complex at the corner of West Gordon Avenue and Slappey Boulevard will be a “lifeline” to other small businesses in the immediate area.
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