Atlantic City Breaks Ground On 1st Supermarket In 15 Years

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ — City and state officials took steps to end Atlantic City's designation as a "food desert" on Thursday with the groundbreaking of the city's first full-service grocery store since 2006.

The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) approved an $18.7 million fund for the construction of a new ShopRite in Atlantic City in October.

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The 54,609-square-foot supermarket will be built at the corner of Baltic Avenue and N. Ohio Avenue, near the Atlantic City Convention Center and Tanger Outlet Mall.

Atlantic City has been without a fully operated grocery store for 15 years, making it a “food desert,” where residents have limited access to healthy and affordable foods, often due to limited income or lack of nearby options.

“For 15 years, Atlantic City’s families’ options have been limited to bodegas and small corner markets offering few healthy and affordable options," Gov. Phil Murphy said Thursday during the groundbreaking ceremony. "Being able to take a single trip to a single local store — something many of us take for granted — will no longer be denied to the residents of Atlantic City."

Murphy also highlighted the importance of the supermarket’s construction during the coronavirus pandemic, as food insecurity is on the rise across the state.

“We had a food insecurity crisis before this pandemic, but we know it has become acute in food banks up and down the state, particularly over the past 20 months,” he said.

In 2018, CRDA ramped up efforts to attract a supermarket developer to Atlantic City after a report identified the resort town as a food desert.

Mo Butler, chairman of the CRDA board, said the full-service supermarket will end the city’s 15-year designation as a food desert and improve the quality of life for residents.

“The effects of a food desert in the Atlantic City community have been detrimental to the long-term health of its residents and a stress to this community for years. We all know a diet consisting of mostly processed and fast foods can cause serious health concerns, including heart disease and obesity,” Butler said. “We are attacking that head-on by giving residents access to high quality food. With this project, we say 'bye-bye' to Atlantic City’s designation as a food desert.”

According to Butler, the project is expected to create 125 construction jobs and up to 100 permanent jobs when the store opens.

Construction is anticipated to begin in 2022 and will take about 13 to 15 months to complete.

Atlantic City Mayor Marty Smalls called the ground breaking a “historic occasion,” as he recalled those who said Atlantic City would never attract a “big name" supermarket.

“A lot of people thought it wasn’t possible for whatever reason,” Smalls said. “But it goes to show when the community works together as partners, we can do good work."

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