A Milwaukee couple is making a strong impact in their community after opening a grocery store in what is known as a food desert. In 2022, Maurice “Moe” Wince and his wife Yashica Spears, who are Black, opened Sherman Park Grocery Store, striving to provide healthy food options for their community.
According to Black Business, the couple noticed that many people in Milwaukee were going to gas stations to load up on snacks like chips and Twinkies. A 2019 Milwaukee Fresh Food Access Report study found that the city has 13 food deserts. Areas that are located more than a mile and a half from a grocery store are categorized as food deserts, according to the USDA.
Amid civil unrest in the community circa 2016 stemming from the fatal shooting of Sylville Smith at the hands of the police, Wince conversed with other residents about steps they could take to inspire a better lifestyle.
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“I’ve lived my whole life in this city. Now we have a unique opportunity to change the narrative of the environment here by providing food access and education,” Wince said in an interview with Milwaukee NNS.
Collaborating with other community leaders, Wince and Yashica opened Sherman Park Grocery in 2022, making it one of the few Black-owned grocery stores in Milwaukee. The store also aims to provide employment opportunities for the community. Sherman Park Grocery Store employs eight people at the moment. The company also collaborates with local organizations like Employ Milwaukee to expand employment opportunities.
In addition, Wince and Yashica collaborated with UpStart Kitchen (a culinary school) to provide a space where culinary artists can sell their products.
“This kitchen and grocery store are a lifesaver for me,” Nesha Beamon, culinary artist and owner of Pound for Pound Cakes by Nesha, told Milwaukee NNS.
“The events and community that Sherman Park Grocery has brought to the neighborhood has united residents,” Monique Evans, owner of Mo’s Sweetside, added.
In Milwaukee, many residents are finding it harder to access food stamps since the pandemic.
“The food assistance programs are shrinking, but the need hasn’t gone anywhere,” Wince said.
As part of their effort to address the need for food access, Wince and Spears launched Feed My Sheep Global Services, a nonprofit that assists residents by handing out gift cards that can be used toward purchasing groceries.
