I was scrolling Threads not too long ago and kept seeing the same question pop up over and over: where are the Black-owned grocery stores? People genuinely wanted to know. In fact, so many people were asking that it stopped me in my tracks, because I already had a few Black-owned grocery stores listed on my South Fulton business directory and had been building out the Black Family Hub. So I figured, why not pull them all together in one place?
However, what I found when I started digging was not what I expected.
There are only about 26 Black-owned grocery stores operating in the entire United States. Not 260. Not 2,600. Twenty-six. I sat with that number for a minute because it is genuinely shocking. For context, there are more than 38,000 grocery stores in this country total. Black-owned stores make up a fraction of a fraction of that.
Even more surprising? A significant number of those stores are right here in Georgia.
Why Georgia?
Georgia and the Atlanta metro area specifically have long been a hub for Black wealth, Black entrepreneurship, and Black community investment. Atlanta is home to the most Black-owned businesses in the entire country, with more than 10,000 Black-owned businesses operating across the metro area. It makes sense that the grocery store gap is starting to get addressed here first. From East Point to Fayetteville, Georgia entrepreneurs are showing up and filling the void.
Here are some of the stores leading the way.
Nourish and Bloom Market — Fayetteville, GA
Nourish and Bloom is the world’s first Black-owned autonomous grocery market, complete with robot helpers, located in the newly developed Trilith area. It is genuinely one of a kind, not just in Georgia but in the world. If you have not been, it is worth the trip.
Sure Save Food and Beauty — East Point, GA
Sure Save Food and Beauty is a Black woman-owned grocery store that opened in East Point in December 2024, operating out of a former CVS location on Washington Road. Shoppers can find fresh produce, frozen foods, and adult beverages, with a focus on budget-friendly options for area residents. This one is close to home for anyone in the South Fulton community and absolutely worth supporting.
Truly Living Well — East Point and Fayetteville, GA
Truly Living Well operates in both East Point and Fayetteville and also has an online shop where you can purchase groceries directly. They focus on fresh, community-centered food access and have been serving the area for years.
What About the Rest of the Country?
Outside of Georgia, a handful of stores are doing incredible work in their own communities.
Forty Acres Fresh Market was founded in 2017 by Liz Abunaw to address the lack of fresh food options on the Westside of Chicago. The market offers cost-efficient produce and healthy groceries through home delivery, mobile events, and pop-up markets while a permanent brick-and-mortar location is still under construction.
In Detroit, Raphael Wright opened Neighborhood Grocery in the Jefferson-Chalmers neighborhood in 2022 as a full-service market offering fresh produce, meat, dairy, and pantry staples. The store was built specifically to fight food insecurity on the city’s east side and operates Tuesday through Sunday.
In Brooklyn, Nanni Health Food Store has been running since 2002, selling fresh produce, organic and vegan foods, health supplements, and plant-based meals. It has been doing the work quietly for over two decades.
These are not just grocery stores. They are community anchors.
Why This Matters
Food deserts are a real and documented problem in Black communities across the country. When your nearest grocery store is a gas station or a dollar store, your health outcomes reflect that. Black-owned grocery stores are not just about buying Black. They are about communities having access to real food, fair prices, and businesses that reinvest dollars back into the neighborhood.
That is why I put together a dedicated page right here on Storm’s Mama. The Black-owned grocery store directory started with a few local listings and it is growing. If you know of a store I have missed, drop it in the comments.
In Summary
Twenty-six stores across an entire country is not enough. However, the fact that Georgia is leading the way gives me real hope. Not only are entrepreneurs here building something meaningful, but communities like ours in South Fulton are close to several of them. Support the ones near you, share this post, and let’s keep building this list together.
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