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'There's a store now that's accessible' | Rancho San Miguel Market opens in Oak Park after multiple delays

"I'm excited I can just drive two blocks now, and not miles, to be able to get the food that I need to put on my table," Barbara Daniels, an Oak Park resident, said.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After months of waiting, residents in Oak Park are now able to shop at the new Rancho San Miguel Market on Broadway, near Stockton Boulevard in Sacramento.

PAQ, INC., a 100% employee-owned company based in Stockton, operates the grocery store. The company held the store's grand opening Wednesday morning, featuring a ribbon cutting ceremony, swag bags, and gift card giveaways for the first 100 customers.

The Rancho San Miguel Market is now fully operating in the 51,000 sq. foot space to ensure residents have access to affordable and nutritious food. The store offers a full-service bakery, meat and seafood departments, Hispanic Grab & Go items, salsa and ceviche bar, and other food products and online services.

Initially, the store was set to open in October 2021, but the opening date was pushed back three times. The company blamed construction and supply-chain issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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“We are excited to provide affordable food to this community," Bill Cote, CEO of PAQ, INC, said. “This site is commonly referred to as a food desert. There are no low-cost grocery store options in the Oak Park, Tahoe Park and Elmhurst neighborhoods."

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Barbara Daniels has been living in Oak Park for about 25 years. She plans on shopping at the new store, located conveniently around the corner from her house. Before the store opened, Daniels had to travel outside her neighborhood for food and other basic items.

"I went to Safeway, over on Alhambra, Save Mart, way up on Folsom, and Food Co., way down Stockton Boulevard," Daniels said. "I'm excited I can just drive two blocks now, and not miles, to be able to get the food that I need to put on my table."

The new market serves people, predominately people of color, living in a community labeled a food desert, meaning people had limited or no access to nutritious and affordable food based on low income or travel distance to a store. The market replaced the old Food Source grocery store, which closed in 2020.

"It was devastating to have that store close," Daniels explained. "It was something that we all depended on. To me, that was just crazy. There was an economic impact of removing that kind of business and service provider from our local community." 

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The COVID-19 pandemic made matters worse, resulting in a spike in world hunger, unemployment, and a mass shortage of goods. Daniels, along with other Oak Park residents, relied on help from family, neighbors, friends, and community partners with active feeding programs.

"When the pandemic came, prices skyrocketed," Daniels said. "I don't think, for me, I would have been able to weather what is known as the food desert had it not been for some food programs in the community that served the elderly and disenfranchised, like the Sacramento Food Bank, Urban League and other programs."

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"Our stores are designed to appeal to price-conscious consumers with quality products," Cote said. "Our primary function is to operate our stores as efficiently and without added costs or frills in order to pass those savings to our customers. We want them to feel good about feeding their family with the affordable food that we provide."

Daniels, similar to others in the community, is looking forward to going grocery shopping at the new market. She plans on saving big by taking advantage of market coupons for food products and no longer spending money on gas to travel five miles or more for groceries. 

"When the pandemic hit, the community banded together," Daniels explained. "And, I'm hoping that our new grocery store will become part of that collective that says we want to feed the people. You know, we want to do it equitably and we want to be a great resource, not just a grocery store."

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