IMMOKALEE, Fla. — The only grocery store in Immokalee is closing its doors Sunday, leaving the entire community without convenient access to fresh groceries and forcing the community to travel miles for basic necessities.
The Winn-Dixie on Lake Trafford Road has served the community for years, but its closure creates a challenge for the walking and biking community of Immokalee. The nearest grocery store is 10 miles away in Ave Maria.
Click here to see Immokalee Community Correspondent Victoria Quevedo speak with concerned neighbors.
"This is our only grocery store. It's the only one that we have that has a bakery, a deli, seafood counter, a meat counter," Carmen Hickman said.
The closure will also create financial strain for many residents who will be forced to shop at smaller, more expensive stores in the area.
"The Winn-Dixie has been around forever for us, since I was a kid… now, people are going to be forced to go to the smaller stores that cost more money," Maria Salinas said.
Collier County Commissioner Bill McDaniel announced a temporary solution to help residents access groceries during the transition period.
"We worked out a plan to run additional bus routes from the parking lot of Winn-Dixie," McDaniel said.
The free bus service will run twice daily to a Publix in Ave Maria and Randall for the next year while the store undergoes conversion.
Southeastern Grocers, the store's owner, plans to convert the location into an Aldi grocery store, though no timeline has been announced for when it will reopen.
"Aldi is going to be a great option for some people, but not for everyone," Salinas said.
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