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Boston officials are weighing whether the city should open government-owned grocery stores to make fresh, affordable food more accessible — an idea that’s gaining traction in New York City.
After holding a hearing earlier this month, city councilors agreed to study how other cities have implemented municipal markets to close gaps in food access.
Councilors Ruthzee Louijeune and Liz Breadon, who called for the hearing, did not respond to multiple requests for comment from Fox News Digital.
ATLANTA’S CITY-RUN GROCERY SEES EARLY SUCCESS, SPARKING DEBATE OVER GOVERNMENT’S ROLE
While Boston leaders are still exploring the idea, Atlanta has already put the concept into practice, opening its first city-run grocery store earlier this year.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens told Fox News Digital that Azalea Fresh Market has served more than 20,000 customers since it opened its doors on Aug. 28.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said Azalea Fresh Market has served more than 20,000 shoppers since opening on Aug. 28. (Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
“In its first month, fresh produce made up 11.6% of total sales, exceeding the national average of 10% and highlighting a community demand for healthier food options,” Dickens said, adding that the turnout shows how strong the need was in a neighborhood “long underserved by grocers.”
“Azalea Fresh Market is proof that when we work together as a city, we can deliver real solutions that change lives,” he added.
The early success in Atlanta comes as similar ideas gain momentum elsewhere, including in New York City, where Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani has championed city-owned grocery stores as part of his controversial campaign platform.
Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist upstart, has placed affordability at the center of his agenda to lead America’s largest city. He has campaigned on free buses, rent freezes for tenants in rent-stabilized apartments and city-owned grocery…
