Article by: Kat Pratt
Rosewood Community Market’s grand opening was Wednesday March 6, and PeopleFund was there to celebrate! The market is located at the corner of Chicon and Rosewood in the heart of Austin’s Eastside. The day began with breakfast specials and throughout the day Rosewood Community Market treated its customers with free coffee, cupcakes, coupons, giveaways, door prizes, and a raffle. The ribbon cutting ceremony was attended by Council Member Mike Martinez and the exciting day wound down with cold beers and happy hour specials.
Rosewood Community Market at 1819 Rosewood provides a variety of foods including fresh fruit, vegetables, and meats to the Eastside community. It’s open seven days a week from 7am to 8pm on weekdays, Saturday from 9am to 6pm and Sunday from 10am to 5pm. Allen Rogers opened the store to save the community from frequent trips to bigger grocery stores when they may just need a few things.
As a resident of the Eastside, Allen Rogers was keenly aware of the unavailability of fresh foods in his neighborhood. Since the soft opening in January he’s had a very positive reaction from the community. It’s become an oasis in the East Austin food desert. The USDA defines a food desert as a region lacking access to fresh, healthy, affordable food options.
Allen’s focus on building relationships with local produce growers such as Johnsons’ Backyard Garden and beef from Bastrop Cattle Co. brings high end fare to the Eastside. But also sourcing goods from larger distributors ensures a variety of prices to meet the needs of various economic groups in East Austin’s diverse community. As a former employee of PeopleFund Allen made connections with the Sustainable Food Center who has helped him connect with local food suppliers.