Cleveland closed the New Eastside Market in the Glenville neighborhood, leaving a food desert once again on the city’s East Side.
The market – owned by the city and operated by Northeast Ohio Neighborhood Health Services – opened in with 2019, with intentions of addressing the neighborhood’s status as a food desert, an area without a grocery store in a one-mile radius.
“The administration remains committed to ensuring every resident has access to quality, affordable food in their neighborhood. Our residents deserve reliable, high-quality options, and that commitment remains unchanged,” said city spokesperson Sarah Johnson in a statement.
The city declined to renew NEON’s lease, citing the community health center’s failure to pay more than $200,000 in real estate taxes and about $50,000 in utilities. The county treasurer put NEON on a payment plan for back taxes in 2023, but it failed to complete the payments, according to the city.
Erika Ervin created Gardening in the District, an organization dedicated to building community gardens around the city, plus providing access to produce and nutrition education to areas plagued as food deserts. The first of her 10 gardens was built in Glenville.
“Despite what’s happening with the farmers market, despite life, despite the struggles, despite the health issues, don’t give up on eating healthy, don’t get up on finding the resources,” Ervin said.
Erika Ervin’s first community garden in Glenville.
She’s worried about Glenville not having access to the healthy produce.
“I do think because that grocery store will no longer be there that will push the community to lean more on the corner stores and unfortunately the corner stores don’t have the convenience of having fresh vegetables,” Ervin said.
Ray Smith, who grew up in Glenville, is a fellow community garden advocate. He said he’s sad to see the market leave the neighborhood.
“If you don’t have access to a grocery store, then the life expectancy goes down,” Smith said. “That’s where our moms, our grandmothers taught us these lessons. So, we’re always concerned about it. So, city, come on now. Y’all got to do something in the Glennville neighborhood.”
What’s next?
Johnson said the city is helping market employees with employment opportunities, and any leftover food from the market will be donated.
NEON did not respond to requests for comment.
“While the closure of the Eastside Market is unfortunate, it also presents an opportunity to reimagine how we deliver food access in this community,” Johnson said.
Ward 9 Councilmember Kevin Conwell said he plans to work with Mayor Justin Bibb to reopen the space, but Conwell said he wants to create a space that resembles the West Side Market, with several local vendors rather than a grocery store, which the East Side space used the resemble decades ago.
Gabriel Kramer
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Ideastream Public Media
Ray Smith and Erika Ervin advocate for community gardens to provide fresh produce to Clevelanders challenged by food deserts.
“You’re giving all this money over to the West Side Market. You better take care of the Eastside Market,” Conwell said. “With fresh fruit and vegetables for the residents for the Glenville, Huff and Collinwood community.”
Conwell said he hopes to create a program to provide fresh produce outside of the market’s storefront until something more permanent comes along.
He added that the New Eastside Market was often empty when he visited the store and residents told him they’d prefer a space like the West Side Market.
Ervin agreed. “It gives vendors, local vendors the opportunity to bring their produce, to bring their items there to be able to sell and I think that that would attract a lot more people to that area,” Ervin said. “I would love to see that.”
Internet searches show the closest grocery stores to the New Eastside Market is a few miles away. Posters are posted on the building with information for those stores as well as nearby food pantries.
Dining and Cooking