Stop & Shop has opened a refreshed store Aug. 19 in the Grove Hall neighborhood of Boston. The grocer will unveil a new community wellness space built to host programming at no cost to the community.
Another highlight of the updated Grove Hall Stop & Shop location is an in-store dietitian offering free nutrition programming through one-to-one consultations, community classes and webinars. The grocer selected the Grove Hall location for this program because of high rates of nutrition-related chronic conditions in the surrounding area, coupled with high rates of food insecurity and residents living below the poverty level.
“As Grove Hall’s neighborhood grocer, we believe we have a responsibility to support the health of the community, and we’re proud of the investments we’ve made to offer first-of-its-kind resources and programming for a grocery retailer in the city,” said Gordon Reid, president of Stop & Shop.
“We’re also incredibly proud of the work we’ve done to support local non-profits, public schools and other partners in the neighborhood with innovative programs to drive more consistent access to nutritious food.”
The Grove Hall Community Wellness Space will feature free programs beginning in September like plant-based eating across cultures, high blood pressure classes, first-time home buying and financial well-being classes.
The space will be decorated with artwork hand-painted by members of the Yawkey Boys and Girls Club of Roxbury and will feature a HIGI blood pressure machine for shoppers. The exterior of the space will be merchandised with a 25-foot display of foods and beverages chosen by Stop & Shop’s team of dietitians. It also plans to highlight healthier choices through a weekly circular for customers, featuring savings on items like healthy proteins, fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
With the store refresh, Stop & Shop will also be the first grocer in Boston to offer Flashfood, a program that gives customers access to fresh produce, meat, dairy and other items nearing their best-by date at large discounts. The mobile app helps the grocer’s goal to reduce food waste by 50 percent by 2030.
For more information on Stop & Shop’s programs to support local communities, visit stopandshop.com/community.
