After the cutting of an emerald, green ribbon, a long line of customers who had patiently waited, began shopping.
“This community is thriving, it’s getting better. We have a bank, we have a movie theater, a food hall, a health facility and now we have this fantastic grocery store…and more great things are coming.”– Chris Krehmeyer, CEO of the nonprofit Beyond Housing
On Tuesday, Fields Foods opened its sixth location in the St. Louis area and its first in St. Louis County. The company has steadily opened stores in the region including Washington Avenue downtown, Central West End, Dogtown and Lafayette Square locations.
“Thank you for being here on this rainy day,” founder of the stores Chris Goodson, told the crowd.
“We like to take food deserts and make them former food deserts.”
The new store at 6840 Page Avenue replaces the Save A Lot that closed in 2021 after 11 years. That closing meant that residents, including those residing in a nearby senior citizen home, would have to travel miles for groceries or fresh food.
Immediately after Save A Lot closed, Chris Krehmeyer, CEO of the nonprofit Beyond Housing, told the St. Louis American that he started looking for a new store to take its place. That search led to the partnership between Fields Foods and its new landlord, Beyond Housing.
Despite losing Save A Lot, Beyond Housing’s “24:1 Municipal Partnership Initiative” a collaboration with nearby municipalities, including Pasadena Hills and Normandy, seems to be paying off.
Fields Foods will join Midwest BankCentre, Affinia Healthcare, BJC HealthCare 24:1 Cinema, a senior living center, Carter Commons and several other Black-owned businesses at the Page location.
Krehmeyer thanked St. Louis County and other lenders who “made this happen” before listing the ongoing accomplishments in Pagedale.
“This community is thriving, it’s getting better,” Krehmeyer told the crowd. “We have a bank, we have a movie theater, a food hall, a health facility and now we have this fantastic grocery store. We’re building 36 new homes in about 60 days and more great things are coming.”
St. Louis County Council Chairwoman Rita Heard Days used an old adage to describe Fields Foods presence in Pagedale.
“They say, ‘when one door closes, another opens,’ and that’s exactly what’s happening here,” Days said.
“This is a first-class operation and I’m very appreciative of Fields Foods taking and making a commitment in our community. We deserve this. Let’s make sure this is a success.”
Pagedale Mayor Ernest G. Shields also thanked Goodson and Krehmeyer for their commitment and contributions to the city. Shields said only one word summarizes his feelings.
“Overwhelming. Look around you. We have the produce and all the things that we need. I’m just so grateful and so pleased,” Shields said. “If we want the store to stay here, we must patronize it. Tell your family and friends and come back again, and again, and again.”
Save A Lot owners didn’t cite specific reasons for closing the store. But Krehmeyer cited lagging sales brought on by limited store hours and a decline in in-person shopping during the pandemic. Those vague explanations, he said, weren’t sufficient reasons to close the store.
Beverly Hills Mayor Brian K. Jackson, vice chair of the 24:1 Municipal Partnership, emphasized that the new enterprise cannot be successful without loyal patronage.
“Without us, it closes again,” Jackson stressed.
Goodson said the key to the new store’s success depends on the involvement of residents from all the municipalities in the 24:1 Municipal Partnership’s footprint.
“We not only want to grow from Pagedale we need to grow from Normandy, Pasadena Hills…we need to get all those areas.”
Although the official opening wasn’t slated until 5pm Tuesday, customers peppered in hours earlier anxious to shop. One elderly man who arrived two hours early, was disappointed he couldn’t shop but vowed to return.
“I just live a couple blocks from here…I’ll definitely be back,” the man told Goodson.
Dozens of customers with black shopping carts at the ready streamed the aisles after the dignitaries’ speeches. With “Celebration” by Kool & the Gang blaring over loudspeakers, they canvassed the store sampling treats and filling their carts.
Goodson, former president of the St. Louis Board of Police Commissioners and a real estate developer, said his challenging foray into the grocery store business began with his real estate development in the Lafayette Square area.
“It took me forever to convince Walgreens, which has stores on every freakin’ corner in Chicago, to open one in Lafayette Square. We did that so I ended up pitching an idea for a store to a bunch of grocers. They all said, ‘love what you’re doing, but…’ I got tired of hearing ‘but’ so I went all in and created Fields Foods. That’s how it started.”
There are skeptics who claim that some products at Fields Foods seem to be more expensive than those carried by discount chains like Aldi’s or Save A Lot.
Cognizant of that concern, Goodson said the shelves at the new store are stocked with “Best Choice” and other discount brands.
The store, which is larger than the Dogtown one and the one in the Skinker DeBaliviere neighborhood, is well stocked with discount brands. The meat, dairy, frozen food and other sections of the store all offer a vast array of discount brands.
During the ceremony, Goodson thanked his “hardworking” staff and “management team,” four of which, Goodson said, are African American. Wakeatha Duff, the store’s “head manager,” said she’s upbeat about the store’s presence in Pagedale.
“We have a lot of people around here letting us know they’re excited. We have reasonable prices and it’s something new to the area. So, I’m happy for them as well,” Duff said.
It’s an understatement to say Duff’s ascension at Fields Foods has been rather rapid. Within eight weeks she’s been promoted from part-time employee to bakery manager to store manager at the Lafayette store to her current position as “director” at the Pagedale location.
Duff said her goals as director are simple.
“My role is to lead by example and make sure we’re a good store in this community.”
