KSHB 41 reporter Rachel Henderson covers neighborhoods in Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties. Share your story idea with Rachel.
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The MERC Co+op in downtown Kansas City, Kansas, permanently closed Tuesday, leaving residents without a nearby grocery store.
Neighborhood residents still stopped by the store on Wednesday, not realizing they would have to find solutions to ongoing food access challenges.
"It's defeating," said Carole Newton, a Kansas City, Kansas, resident who has been advocating for better grocery store options in her neighborhood.
Newton says the loss of another grocery store comes from speaking out but feeling ignored by city and county leaders.
She and her husband, Harl, have been vocal about wanting a full-service grocery store in their neighborhood, which is just a few blocks from city hall.
The closure of downtown KCK's only grocery store has left them frustrated and concerned about their community's future.
"It's like we're in an area where there's nothing available for the people," Newton said. "It's just not acceptable."
The empty shelves at the MERC are a stark contrast to the past when the Newtons and their neighbors had multiple grocery options.
"We had A&P, Safeway, Kroger," Harl Newton said.
The MERC Co+op first opened in 2020, and residents felt the store represented progress for the community.
Kansas State Senator David Haley remembers the opening day fondly.
"There were hard-fought gains to see the MERC open, and I was one of the first customers," Haley said.
Tuesday, he was one of the last.
According to MERC's leadership, financial challenges were the primary reason the store closed.
"We still don't have the necessary foot traffic that was anticipated when it was built," Haley said.
He says he expects that to change in 2026 with nearby development projects that include apartment buildings.
"You couldn't afford it," Newton said, referring to the store's pricing challenges.
She remembers the store’s opening differently.
“It was like, ‘This is what we want you to have, this is what we think will be beneficial to the community,’” Newton said.
She attended several community meetings ahead of the store’s opening.
“It should be a community where the community can go to the store," she said.
Newton says their neighbors proposed a site in a different area, a bit more central than the MERC.
“We wanted fresh produce, we wanted the meat, we wanted everything that they have, that other stores have,” Newton said. “Because when we go shopping, that’s where we have to go.”
They question whether community leaders truly value the residents' opinions on these ongoing issues.
"We are continuing to say the same thing, and the same thing keeps happening," Newton said. “For it to happen this length of time where you have nothing, but they’re taking our taxes, we’re paying taxes.”
However, Unified Government leaders say residents should expect something new.
The county's director of economic development says the UG is finalizing negotiations with a new tenant and expects to make an announcement in the coming weeks.
Despite uncertainty about what comes next, Newton hopes this new year brings a resolution.
"I don't know what the answer is," Newton said. "Your heart goes out to people that are not able to have the essentials."
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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