Ideal Food Basket is set to open its doors on Friday in Easton’s West Ward neighborhood, marking the end of a long wait for residents in an area that has been described as a food desert.
Alvis Diaz, the manager of the store’s Bethlehem and Easton locations, said its mission is to bring culturally diverse products and fresh food and produce to the community.
“We carry a product assortment that maybe not everyone does,” Diaz said. “We sell products from Hispanic, West Indian and Asian countries that people don’t normally see in traditional supermarkets. That allows us to better represent the community.”
The store, located on the corner of Church and N. 9th Street, will provide increased access to groceries after years of the neighborhood being primarily supplied by convenience and dollar stores.
Mark Reid, the manager of Easton Garden Works, said the new supermarket fills a longstanding need for West Ward residents. Without a local grocery store nearby, many Easton residents have relied on Reid’s community garden for their fresh produce.
“Residents had to go elsewhere to find their food, and transportation is not always easy for seniors,” he said. “Access to fresh foods has been scarce, and so hopefully with the new supermarket, that will change.”
The process of opening the store has faced numerous delays. The store was originally set to open this spring, and a more recent article by WFMZ reported that the store hoped it would “likely open between Aug. 29 and Sept. 5.” Diaz cited permit and city approval delays as the biggest hurdle.
“Construction-wise, you can go very fast, but at the end of the day, it is based upon approvals,” Diaz said. “The city has been great and has helped us a lot throughout this whole process, and we are very happy to be a part of that community.”
Community members have also raised concerns over employee pay at the store, with one comment on a Facebook post claiming employees were only being offered $9 an hour. Diaz said he could not confirm specific wages, noting that compensation varies by position. He did confirm that the store has brought on 15 to 20 employees and is looking to hire more.