SOUTH TALLAHASSEE, FL — Residents in the South Tallahassee's Bond neighborhood are close to seeing a long-sought vision come to life.
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Renovations on the former Robinson grocery store building are expected to wrap up by the end of June or early July, and community members are already making clear they want the space to be more than just a place to buy food.
For Patricia William, who has lived in the Bond neighborhood for more than five decades, getting groceries has never been simple.
"Because sometimes you don't have money to catch a bus or pay somebody to take you to the grocery store, and by me being a senior citizen, I cannot walk to Piggy Wiggly," William said.
Neighbors say they are looking for a community market that offers fresh food, supports local businesses, and reinvests in Bond.
Erica Bradley, the owner of Cultivators Collective, says keeping money in the neighborhood is a priority.
"We really want to make sure that the money stays in our community. You know, our culture is known for basically shopping everywhere else. Why not shop right here at 2021? Like, why not? And the thing is, the history is here," Bradley said.
That history stretches back decades — when neighbors looked out for one another and local businesses helped strengthen the community.
Leaders hope the market carries on that legacy through gardening, education, locally grown produce, and new opportunities for residents.
Vanessa Williams, the president of the Greater Bond Neighborhood Association emphasized that the building's benefits must stay local.
"You know, you would hate for a shop to come in this here, and we're not benefiting from it. You know, we would hate to come in this place and buy, and the resources are going somewhere else and not to this community. So we want, we wanted to stay in this community, want to be a part of it," Williams said.
For William, the impact goes beyond groceries. She hopes the space brings neighbors together and creates opportunities for younger generations.
"It would have helped them a lot, because that would give them something to do. We won't have to worry about being out in the street, won't have to worry about a poor mother jumping up every time she hears those sirens and thinks that's her child. The children in this neighborhood, they don't have anything to do," William said.
The space does not have a name yet, and the Greater Bond Neighborhood Association is asking the community to be part of that process.
The association is holding a meeting on June 30 at 6 p.m. at the Smith Williams Center in South Tallahassee.
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