Eddie’s begs for no competition in the supposed food desert city of Baltimore

“Friends of Eddie’s Market:

We have been informed by Johns Hopkins University that the developer chosen to build on the Olmsted lot at St. Paul and 33rd Streets is considering a grocery store as anchor for the project.

Concerned Charles Village neighbors have formed the “Friends of Eddie’s Market” to persuade Hopkins to not pursue this plan.

Eddie’s has served the Homewood community for over 50 years and hopes to continue to serve for many more years. Whether you are a lunch customer, coffee fan or everyday customer, WE NEED YOUR HELP !

Eddie’s needs your vocal support now. Petitions to present to Hopkins are available now at Eddie’s and will be circulating at the 32nd Street Farmer’s Market and other community locales and events.

Thanks for liking us on Facebook. Let your voice be heard.”

So grocery competition is a bad thing in a city that supposedly is a food desert?  It’s nice to have fans that want to help you maintain a midsize grocery store monopoly in a section of a neighborhood filled with naive and rich students (who do not question high prices), but I have serious doubts about how much support this monopolistic request would get if this proposed new midsize grocery happens to be called Trader Joe’s. Remember this classic?

In the recent past we have heard so much about Baltimore being a food desert that had to beg grocery stores to relocate here. Now that a store wants to locate here some people want us to “protect” an older store (that charges high prices) and block the once desired new store.  Ahhh Baltimore!

I personally do not believe Baltimore is a food desert, this is because of public transportation. Most of the people who are hurt by living in a food desert do not have cars, but do use public transportation. On my jogs through Baltimore I have noticed that numerous food stores are conveniently located on well-traveled bus lines (the West Baltimore Giant on Edmondson, the Catonsville Safeway on route-40, the numerous supermarkets straddling York road in and on the way to Timonium/Lutherville, etc…) or right near light rail stops (Whole Foods in Mount Washington and the numerous and nutritious super markets near the Timonium and Hunt Valley stops).  If you already have a monthly or weekly pass why not make the most of it and make a trip to a large or healthy super market?