The grocery store rant

Just got back from Kroger, and I have something I need to unload (besides groceries):

I live in the Stifft Station/Capitol View neighborhood, which is roughly bounded by Markham on the north and I-630 on the south. It runs from the state capitol on the east to UAMS on the west. For years, most residents of this area have shopped at the Hillcrest Kroger, which is closing for remodling and expansion. Today, in fact, is the last day for the old store, but since the shelves have been empty for weeks I have been asking myself where to buy groceries until the neighborhood store reopens this spring.

So I ended up going way out west (for me) to the Kroger at Markham and Rodney Parham. Nice enough store, but too damn far.

This brings up the question: why don't downtown and midtown Little Rock have more grocery shopping choices? The old Skaggs/Harvest Foods in Riverdale is now closed, the few downtown area stores have a poor selection to choose from. So people from UAMS to the Quapaw Quarter are left wondering where to go to find a grocery store deli or a descent selection of meat and produce.

The Little Rock grocery market has been suffering ever since Safeway left town a decade or more ago. Harvest Foods was okay, but its prices were too high. Since HF closed, Kroger has had a near monopoly, and the freedom to jack up prices, which they have seemed to do regularly.

I think we need more competition. I'd love to see Safeway, Piggly Wiggly, Mad Butcher or even Wal-Mart's Neighborhood Market stores come to Little Rock. Even a few groceries in the promised University Avenue Target store would help.

Okay, enough ranting... now to unload the groceries and make lunch.

P.S.
I know folks living in rural areas probably don't get this. After all, they're used to driving 10 miles or more to the nearest store. But urban living is supposed to be different. I expect to be able to get a pizza delivered, to get high-speed internet service and to run to the grocery store without needing to set aside a couple of hours.