Hungry Hungry Hoosiers

Access to a grocery store is a challenge in Knightstown. In anecdotal conversations with leaders in the community, they indicate that local citizens would like to have a local option for grocery shopping.

Knightstown is located in a food “desert.”

While there is currently a local grocer, Pic ‘N Save, the grocery store is underutilized due to its rundown state, lack of cleanliness and perceived lack of quality.

There is a Dollar Store and a CVS Pharmacy in the community but those stores do not offer fresh meats, vegetables and fruits. This impacts the quality of health foods available to residents locally.

People can go to other counties for groceries, including Hancock and Madison County, as well as going to the neighboring town of New Castle to Wal Mart or Kroger.

For people without transportation, elderly people and homebound people, not having a local option is a problem. Coupled with the fact that there are limited food delivery options and no “meals on wheels” programs, this can be very detrimental to these populations.

The Knightstown Town Council and the RDC have been working with a local developer to develop a ten thousand square foot property during 2021 that could house a grocer. The costs of developing a grocery property are significant and pose a challenge for a grocer willing to relocate to a community the size of Knightstown.

The initial build out cost for the grocery requires the grocer to commit to seven to eight years of no profit. Ideas to help with incenting a grocer to be established in Knightstown or other thoughts about how to bring in a local grocer are important to providing for quality of place as the town works to bring more jobs and residents into the town.

Knightstown challenges FFC innovators to provide a unique solution to increase their access to fresh food options.