Residents protest closing of Smart Saver grocery store - OKC, OK - News Article Locations on Waymarking.com

People who live near Martin Luther King and N.E. 23rd are not happy about a company's decision to close Smart Saver, a grocery store that is much needed for healthy living.

Article text:

A community is looking for answers after the last supermarket in northeast Oklahoma City says it's closing its doors for good on Monday.

The store gave just a few days notice that it was closing, so Saturday the community held a protest demanding answers.

"It sucks to see that the main grocery store our people have to go to is being shut down," Pallu Isreal, a concerned citizen, told News 4.

Now, there is a sudden food desert in the community, and people say they are completely in the dark about why it's happening.

"We do not appreciate the sneak attack it came with," community activist Michael Washington said. "Without giving us advanced warning or notice that they were getting ready to close this store down that so many Oklahomans on the northeast side of town relied on for so many years."

Protesters say they realize what's done is done, and they aren't going to save the store. They just want to make sure people know that what's happening, and the way it's happening isn't right.

"Where else would this happen at? You can`t tell me the store isn`t making the funds, because it`s always packed with people coming in," Isreal said. "It`s unfortunate because it always happens in our neighborhoods."

Protesters say they are also concerned Smart Saver closing will lead to other unintended consequences, like the area losing a lot of tax revenue that comes from the store.

Type of publication: Television When was the article reported?: 08/03/2019 Publication: Oklahoma's News 4 Article Url: [Web Link] Is Registration Required?: no How widespread was the article reported?: local News Category: Business/Finance

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