Many Residents of This Atlanta Neighborhood Don’t Shop at This Grocery Store—So Why Are They Rallying To Save it?

Last month, residents of a neighborhood in northwest Atlanta, GA rallied against plans led by a local developer to replace a Buy Low grocery store with a self-storage facility. The Buy Low, off James Jackson Parkway, has been around for decades—though some who attended the rally say they don’t shop there themselves. “Fortunately for me, I have transportation, so I can go to any supermarket that's close by,” says JoAnna Powell, a long-time resident of the area. “I don't shop there, unless it's something last minute that I need.” But for elderly residents and those without reliable transportation, the Buy Low isn't optional—it's the only grocery store they can reach. So what should replace it, if anything: another supermarket, or, as residents put it, another self-storage facility the area doesn't need?The pitch: storage instead of groceriesTorrey Sumlin is the chair of NPU-G, the area’s citizen-led advisory council that gives local residents a formal voice in city planning. It encompasses the neighborhoods of Almond Park, Collier Heights, and Brookview Heights, as well as the 800 block of James Jackson Parkway. Sumlin has lived in the neighborhood since 1989 and says the Buy Low was...