When Grocery Stores Close, Rural Food Deserts Turn To City-Owned Cooperatives

When the only grocery store in Baldwin, Florida, closed last year, the town of less than 2,000 people struggled to lure a new chain to town. Baldwin, a rural community about 20 miles west of Jacksonville, became a food desert.

But in September, the town came up with a creative solution: Baldwin opened its own store. The Baldwin Market opened its doors in September. Everyone from the cashiers to the people stocking the shelves are on the municipal payroll. Residents even get in touch with the mayor when they want to request a new product.

Here & Now's Robin Young speaks with David Procter, director of the Center for Engagement and Community Development at Kansas State University, which runs the Rural Grocery Initiative.