Saskatoon's core neighbourhoods will not be without an affordable community grocery store for much longer. The Good Food Junction Co-op is set to open on 20th Street West this summer, providing residents with fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, dairy and bread products.

In preparation for the opening day, the Good Food Junction Co-op has partnered with Nestor's Community Bakery, which will stock the grocery store's shelves with freshly baked items.

"We've offered to make them a line of baked products that's unique to their store," said Keith Jorgenson, executive director of the bakery.

While the agreement is in place, he is still unsure of the specifics of what they will supply. He said it will depend on who shops at the store.

"If you're having primarily low-income people from this community, then you're going to have people that are primarily interested in basic commodities that are affordable," Jorgenson said.

"But, as this neighbourhood, particularly Riversdale, has gentrified, then you have more affluent people moving in, as well as the possibility of people from the east side coming to shop here just because they think it's the right thing to do. Then you could have a demand for higher-end items (and) organic items."

Janice Sanford Beck, the president of the board for the Good Food Junction Co-op, said this grocery store has been a long time coming.

"People are really looking forward to having a store back in the neighbourhood. Some can remember having had one, but it's been quite some time now, I think over 15 years since there was a full-service grocery store."

Sanford Beck said this store will be a lifeline for people in the area who can't afford to travel to a grocery store outside of the area.

"If you can't get healthy food, you're not going to eat it. If you can only shop once a month because the transportation costs are so high, then you're going to run out of fresh foods pretty quickly," she said.

Today, the Good Food Junction Co-op got a boost to help with start-up costs and stocking their shelves for opening day from Loraas Disposal Services Ltd. The company gave the co-op $25,000.

tburdeniuk@rawlco.com

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