DETROIT (WXYZ) — Detroit's west side has a new grocery option. Micah's Market opened Thursday on Fenkell Avenue near Prevost Street, bringing fresh meats, dairy, and produce at affordable prices to the Crary/St. Mary's neighborhood.
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The store is the second to open through the city's Green Grocer Program since its relaunch in 2024. The program awards up to $25,000 in grants to entrepreneurs creating small-format grocery stores in Detroit and provides additional support resources to help the stores succeed.
Jacqueline Cook, the owner of Micah's Market, has spent years fighting food insecurity in the neighborhood as a nonprofit leader. Every week, her organization distributes food to hundreds of residents.
"Every Thursday and Friday, we feed over 1,000 people. We pass out food with the help of our partners," Cook said.
Watching families struggle with rising food costs pushed Cook to open a grocery store of her own.
"Definitely a need in the community, the prices, they price gouge in our community," Cook said. "So I want to keep the prices where they can get everything that they look for."
Cook says shoppers will notice the difference at the register.
"You're sure to come in here and find two and three dollar cheaper, a dollar cheaper," Cook said. "Where they can get a meal and feed their whole entire family with 20 dollars.
Sean Gray, Vice President of Small Business Services with the Detroit Economic Growth Corp., says the Green Grocer Program is designed to put community members at the center of the grocery experience.
"You're usually seeing these small-scale grocery stores run by people who are really passionate about their community, they're from the community, and so it gives the community a chance to see themselves in their grocer," Gray said.
The program also connects store owners with industry experts to help their businesses thrive.
"That includes bringing in fish monitors to help them understand how to stock or purchase fish, dairy experts, and also prepared food experts who can help them understand how their produce, dairy, etc., can flow into a prepared foods program," Gray said.
Neighbors say the store fills a real gap in the area. Unite Clemons, who lives nearby, pointed to the store's accessibility.
"Elderly people can walk. They can walk here and get fresh produce, meat," Clemons said.
Fellow neighbor Tony Wise said the store comes at a critical time for many residents.
"It's kind of hard to go to the store and take a bag of food home, and I think this will go a long way in helping people having trouble right now, like myself," Wise said.
For Cook, Thursday's opening was the realization of a big goal.
"The community expected this, and it happened," Cook said.
Micah's Market is open 7 days a week.
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