Central Austin a food desert?

[capcat]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

You left out Sun Harvest, which was at Anderson and Rockwood Lane for years and years until Sprouts bought them and then promptly closed them. Another reason I don't shop at Sprouts besides trying them and finding them sorely lacking - I can do better, cheaper, several other places in town.

Just a snapshot, when there were quite a few grocery stores along those streets. If I were going to include another one from that era (still around, of course), it would be Minimax.

I shopped at Sun Harvest and liked it quite a bit. I was sorry to see it go. However, it opened quite a bit later than the stores I mentioned, if memory serves. Others from later years were Whole Foods at Burnet and 183, and of course Skaggs/Albertson's, and the Rylanders/Tom Thumb/Randall's at Lamar and Koenig. It may be just that HEB, Minimax and Walmart for even a more expanded area east of Mopac and north of North Loop. Pretty sparse pickings, anyway.

[scm53]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

You left out Sun Harvest, which was at Anderson and Rockwood Lane for years and years until Sprouts bought them and then promptly closed them. Another reason I don't shop at Sprouts besides trying them and finding them sorely lacking - I can do better, cheaper, several other places in town.

THL, wasn't there a Sun Harvest on 183 just past Ohlen on the N side?

A lot of this in Austin is driven by the domination of HEB. The demise of Albertson's, and the closure of several Rylander stores after the sale to Tom Thumb were part. The move towards economies of scale as HEB consolidated into larger stores to is a big part as well. It is a complex problem, but it isn't helped by manufacturing faux moral outrages.

Was glad to see that SNAP can now be used for CSA subscriptions. But even they usually come to a central distribution point - which requires a car. So much for the "food desert".