5 days ago
Kansas City grocery closes despite millions from the city. ‘Beyond our control'
After months of struggling and millions of dollars from the city, the Sun Fresh Linwood has closed.
The grocery store on Kansas City's East side — 3110 Wabash Ave. — was locked Tuesday. A black tarp covered its logo, and a sign on its door announced to customers that it would not reopen.
'Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control, we are no longer, at this time, able to serve the residents of this important community,' the printed note reads.
'It has always been our dream and passion to provide quality products and services in a safe, family environment. At this time, unfortunately, we are unable to do that.'
Sherae Honeycutt, a spokeswoman for the city, told The Star via email that the city was informed by Community Builders Kansas City it had closed today. She said there is not a new tenant lined up to take the space at the moment.
Sun Fresh is the anchor tenant of the Linwood Shopping Center, which the city purchased in 2014 in hopes of offering more food sources for residents on the East side.
After the city spent $17 million to acquire and redevelop Sun Fresh, it opened in 2018. The nonprofit CBKC took over the store in 2022.
Earlier this year, city council approved an ordinance for the Community Builders to receive $161,000 in rent relief and $750,000 in expedited funding so that Sun Fresh could remain open.
The ordinance also authorized the city attorney to pay $450,000 to settle legal claims between the city and Community Builders.
Despite city investments, the grocery store struggled to stay afloat. Shoppers and employees alike reported safety concerns, with shoppers reporting frequent 911 calls for fights, drug use and public sex.
Teenage grocery shelf stockers were forced to carry tasers.
'My staff is in jeopardy every single day,' CBKC CEO Emmet Pierson Jr. said in a city meeting last year. 'I've been saying this now for a year. For a year.'
Sun Fresh lost $1.3 million in 2023.
Photos and videos of its bare shelves were widely circulated on the internet in recent months and even in The Washington Post.
We are not placing big orders,' Pierson told The Star in April. 'The store is placing orders to fulfill our WIC requirements.' WIC is a federal food assistance program for low-income pregnant women and children under the age of 5.
The Star's Ilana Arougheti and David Hudnall contributed to this report.
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