ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - For years, South St. Petersburg residents have asked city leaders the same question: How to bring fresh and affordable groceries to their neighborhoods? Despite efforts to attract major grocery chains, no store has committed to opening in the area, leaving families without easy access to healthy options.

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Now, a group of neighbors believe the solution lies in a community-owned store. The "One Community Grocery Co-op" has been building its membership base and working with local stakeholders.

The co-op model, they said, could succeed where the traditional grocery business has failed.

"The traditional grocery model just will not work here," said organizers, pointing to seven years of failed attempts by the city to recruit a chain.

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