NORTH CHARLESTON — One of the last stores offering fresh produce and meat in the city’s south end closed its doors, further limiting food access in an area already facing few options.
The Save A Lot on Durant Avenue served its last customers Aug. 5 before moving all operations to the Dorchester Road store five miles away.
Shannon McPherson, a North Charleston resident who owns both discount stores, said the decision was not made in haste. He spent the last six months working to keep the store open, but declining profits made it unsustainable.
He said a lot of regular customers shop at both locations, so consolidating the stores made sense. Most of the staff is transitioning to the other location, he added.
A sign on the front door of the Durant Avenue Save A Lot location advises customers of the store closure and to visit their other location on Dorchester Road, Wednesday, August 5, 2026, in North Charleston.
Henry Taylor/Staff
“We’re part of the community and this was a very difficult decision to make,” he said.
The Dorchester Road location opened nearly three years ago in the Oak Ridge Plaza shopping center that’s home to Planet Fitness, Dollar General and several restaurants. McPherson said this store is one-third bigger than the Durant Avenue one, providing a larger produce section, more space for meat and dairy, and wider aisles. He said it offers a better shopping experience for customers.
“This was not entered into lightly, but we really do think that it’s the best path forward to be able to continue serving North Charleston,” he said.
The city’s food desert
Richard Fludd, who has lived in the area most of his life, visited the Durant Avenue store during its final week open. He said the closure leaves no grocery options stretching from the lower end of Rivers Avenue to Remount Road. The impact will likely fall hardest on low-income and elderly residents.
“That’s what we’re concerned about as a community, what’s the plan to bring in another grocery store?” he said.
The city’s south end has struggled to lure a full-service grocery store for nearly two decades, forcing residents in Chicora-Cherokee, Union Heights, Accabee, Dorchester Waylyn and neighborhoods off Rivers Avenue to travel farther for groceries.
Dining and Cooking