Stop & Shop unveils refreshed Grove Hall store in Massachusetts focused on community health
Stop & Shop is furthering its commitment to supporting the health and well-being of the communities it serves with a newly refreshed store in the Grove Hall neighborhood of Boston.
Stop & Shop unveiled the fresh new look at its 460 Blue Hill Ave. location, which includes a new Community Wellness Space built to host robust programming at no cost to the community. Another hallmark of the updated Grove Hall Stop & Shop location will be a dedicated, in-store dietitian offering free nutrition programming through one-to-one consultations, community classes and webinars.
Stop & Shop shared that it selected the Grove Hall location for this program because of high rates of nutrition-related chronic conditions in the surrounding area, coupled with high rates of food insecurity and residents living below the poverty level, creating an opportunity for the grocer to play an active role in driving healthier outcomes via food-driven wellness initiatives.
[Read more: Stop & Shop investing $140M in New York City stores]
“As Grove Hall’s neighborhood grocer, we believe we have a responsibility to support the health of the community, and we’re proud of the investments we’ve made to offer first-of-its-kind resources and programming for a grocery retailer in the city,” said Gordon Reid, president of Stop & Shop. “We're also incredibly proud of the work we’ve done to support local nonprofits, public school and other partners in the neighborhood with innovative programs to drive more consistent access to nutritious food.”
The Stop & Shop Grove Hall Community Wellness Space will feature free programs beginning in September, such as plant-based eating across cultures, high blood pressure classes and healthy grocery shopping assistance through store tours for community residents of all ages. The programming also will extend beyond nutrition education to offer first-time homebuying and financial well-being classes. The space will be decorated with artwork hand-painted by members of the Yawkey Boys and Girls Club of Roxbury, a longstanding Stop & Shop community partner, and will feature a HIGI blood pressure machine to make it easier for shoppers to measure, track and act on their health data.
The exterior of the space will be merchandised with a 25-foot display of better-for-you foods and beverages chosen by Stop & Shop’s team of registered dietitians. Stop & Shop also plans to highlight healthier choices through a unique weekly circular for Grove Hall customers, which will feature savings on items like healthy proteins, fruits, vegetables and whole grains on the cover.
Stop & Shop said that it also has been advancing its investments in Grove Hall beyond just its store. The company has supported the creation of in-school pantries at two neighborhood schools as part of The Stop & Shop School Food Pantry Program, Stop & Shop’s signature community program, which works to ensure no child has to go to school hungry by building and supporting in-school food pantries. A Stop & Shop School Food Pantry opened at the Jeremiah E. Burke High School in April — and a new in-school pantry is set to open at The Rev. Dr. Michael E. Haynes Early Education Center in Grove Hall this month.
[Read more: Stop & Shop, Flashfood roll out program in Rhode Island]
With the store refresh, Stop & Shop also will be the first grocer in the city to offer Flashfood, a program that gives customers access to fresh produce, meat, dairy and other items nearing their best-by date at discounts up to 50% off. The mobile app not only helps regular shoppers save over $500 a year on their grocery bills, it furthers Stop & Shop’s commitment to reduce food waste by 50% by 2030.
To commemorate the grand reopening of the Grove Hall Stop & Shop location, the company hosted a community wellness celebration at the 48 Geneva Avenue parking lot, located behind the store, on Aug. 19. The free event featured a packed day of programming, including health screenings from Stop & Shop pharmacists, a fitness class led by TRILLFIT, cooking demonstrations by the Stop & Shop Nutrition Partners as well as food trucks, dance sessions with A Trike Called Funk and photo opportunities with a Red Sox World Series trophy.