Rookies Sports Bar – Grant Winner Spotlight
September 8, 2026
Why This Location for the Southside Grocery Store?
The selection of the Cooper & Biddle Street site for the Southside Grocery Store Project was made after careful consideration of three primary factors:
- Lot Size and Accessibility
- Traffic and Visibility
- Proximity to Low-Income Housing Residents
Each of these factors was an important consideration for the MLK-CIA. Our goal was not only to identify a site that would be attractive and competitive for developers and prospective grocery operators, but also to support the long-term sustainability of the project while ensuring convenient access to quality food for Southside residents, particularly those most in need.
Lot Size and Accessibility
Lot size, accessibility, parking capacity, and delivery access are critical considerations for grocery operators and commercial developers. The Cooper & Biddle Street site offers approximately 5.3 acres, providing ample space to accommodate the project's desired minimum facility size of 35,000 square feet.
The larger site also provides greater flexibility for customer parking, site circulation, and dedicated delivery areas capable of accommodating 60-foot tractor-trailers. These characteristics make the property well suited for the operational needs of a full-service grocery store.
Traffic and Visibility
The Cooper Street location provides prospective grocery operators with strong visibility and access to a significant volume of daily traffic. Approximately 12,000 vehicles per day travel past the immediate site location.
When combined with traffic on surrounding roadways, the Cooper & Biddle Street area experiences approximately 40,000 vehicles per day, providing a prospective grocery store with substantial exposure to both neighborhood residents and customers traveling through the surrounding area.
This level of visibility is an important factor in creating a commercially viable location and supporting the store's long-term success.
Proximity to Low-Income Housing Residents
Providing convenient access to fresh, quality food for Southside residents is a central objective of the project. The Southside includes three subsidized housing communities: Kings Community Homes, Chalet Terrace, and Southridge Park.
Compared with alternative Southside locations considered for the project, the Cooper & Biddle Street site provides closer proximity to all three communities:
- Kings Community Homes: 0.3 miles
- Chalet Terrace: 1.1 miles
- Southridge Park: 0.2 miles
The Cooper & Biddle Street location therefore provides a strong combination of commercial viability, accessibility, visibility, and proximity to residents with the greatest need for convenient access to a quality food source. Together, these factors make the site a strong location for a sustainable, full-service Southside grocery store.
