A future grocery store & local farmers markets fill the gap in Greenville

By Pune Media On Sep 5, 2025

GREENVILLE, Fla. (WTXL) — A small North Florida town is one step closer to getting something most communities take for granted — a local grocery store and a place to bank.

Greenville has no grocery store as Winn-Dixie becomes Aldi, worsening food access issues.
Local farmers markets and small businesses are stepping up to address food insecurity in the community.
Watch the video below to learn more about the mayor’s plans for the new Greenville store.
A future grocery store and local farmers markets fill the gap in Greenville following Winn-Dixie and Aldi mergers

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:

In Greenville, neighbors are a little closer to having a place to shop for fresh food and handle their finances. I’m Lentheus Chaney, in the Greenville neighborhood, speaking with one city official about how a new, fresh market and grocery store is aimed at changing daily life for this small town.

For a community of just under 800 people, where nearly 90 percent of residents are Black, access to fresh food has been a longtime struggle because Greenville hasn’t had a full-service grocery store in 20 years.

With no grocery store or bank, many families drive to Monticello, but even that is getting more difficult with the Winn-Dixie there closing and rebranding into an ALDI.

For neighbors like Terrence Dennis, this new store is long overdue. He says the old grocery burned down years ago, and he’s glad the long drives to other towns for food may soon come to an end.

“We are tired of going all the way to Madison so we can have some groceries. We’re tired of having all the groceries up there in Madison, so now we’re going to have one over here for this community,” Dennis said.

I spoke with Greenville Mayor Ryan Kornegay, who was elected last November. He says, with currently a 15- to 20-mile distance to the closest source for fresh produce, getting this new market open is critical.

“There aren’t a lot of options in that 15- to 20-mile radius for us in Greenville, so that’s gonna limit the options even more for us in that timeframe. This grocery store is more needed than ever before,” Kornegay said.

To help fill the gap, farmers markets and small businesses have been stepping up. Greenville hosted its first farmers market last month, and organizers plan to make it a regular event on the second and fourth Saturday of each month.

In Monticello, Johnston’s Meat Market is expanding beyond steaks and sausages. They’ve added locally produced milk, eggs, and other essentials to help neighbors avoid long drives for the basics.

But Greenville’s future market is expected to do even more. The new store will also house a credit union — a big addition in a place where residents currently have no local bank.

“This really is a game changer. It has the opportunity potential to be a game changer for rural communities like ours,” Kornegay said. With a median household income around $58,000, Kornegay says bringing both food access and financial services under one roof will change lives.

There’s still no grand opening date — but Kornegay says this store is about building a stronger future. In Greenville, I’m Lentheus Chaney, ABC27.

Want to see more local news? Visit the WTXL ABC 27 Website.

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