Simon’s Supermarket on Euclid Avenue to Open Mid-November 2016

The meet and greet at Simon's Supermarket 

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The much-anticipated grocery store, located just west of E.260th Street along Euclid Avenue in the Family Dollar Plaza, is set to open this month. The 27,000-square-foot store will be full of fresh, healthy food priced affordably for neighborhood families. Many of the full and part-time employees will be local residents.

This is owner and operator Simon Hussain’s third grocery in Cleveland since 2003. He was attracted to the area because he saw a need for improved food options and found an opportunity to partner with the City of Euclid to make it happen.

In 2012, the City of Euclid applied for a Health Impact Assessment (HIA), conducted through the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) to assess the needs of a four-mile stretch of Euclid Avenue. The findings identified a lack of access to healthy food, store security and employment opportunities.

Based on the findings, Hussain, the City of Euclid and the Cuyahoga County Board of Health’s Creating Healthy Communities program teamed up to make Simon’s Supermarket in Euclid a reality. Hussain received $250,000 from the Healthy Food for Ohio Program for in-store construction and equipment. Euclid’s Storefront Renovation Program provided $125,000 for external renovations and a parking lot upgrade.

Cuyahoga County Board of Health’s Creating Healthy Communities program manager Roger Sikes, believes Simon’s Supermarket will serve “as an anchor business that may attract more businesses, jobs and investment” to Euclid Avenue.

Ward 3 Councilwoman Taneika Hill also sees the benefits for her residents. “I am well aware that we have more residents who are elderly and on a fixed income as well as single parent households with limited funds to care for their families. I answered the call to this position so that I could work side-by-side with residents to improve our quality of life here in Ward 3.”

“To be a part of something that is bringing an opportunity to do just that by not only giving access to fresh food to an area that is considered to be a food desert, but to know that this food would be sold at affordable prices really gives me a great sense of satisfaction,” remarked Councilwoman Hill.

“Everyone should have access to healthy and fresh food for their families no matter their economic situation,” the Councilwoman continued, “many of us take something like eating an apple or having fresh carrots and corn for granted. (Simon’s Supermarket) could change the lives of these residents for the better. Fresh fruits and vegetables can improve their physical health, which can lower health care costs putting more money back into their pockets.  This time the domino effect created is a positive one. The people deserve it and I am glad to be part of such a movement.”