Title

CentralStore:TheHealthyTransformationofaCornerStoreinWatts

InterventionSummary
TheCentralStoreislocatedonSouthCentralAvenueacrossthestreetfromahighly
utilizedpublicpark,TedWatkinsMemorialPark.TheWattscommunityenjoysdaily
accesstooutdoorexerciseequipmentandtheparkalsostandsasacentrallocationfor
communityevents.Thestoreresidesinacommunitywhere64.5%ofcommunity
membershaveanincome<185%ofthefederalpovertylevelestablishinganeedfor
affordablehealthyfoodoptions.Surroundingthepark,apartfromtheWattsHealthy
FarmersMarketeachSaturday,thereisanevidentlackofhealthyfoodretailers.
Insteadtheareaissaturatedwithfastfoodrestaurantsandliquorstores.Theneedwas
identifiedforalocal,walkable,andpermanenthealthyfoodretailerinthecommunity.
SEELAnoticedthatthestorewasputtinginalargeproducesectionaswellasadeli
andsmoothiesection.Itwasapparentthatthestoreowneralreadyhadinterestin
becomingalargerprovideroffreshfoodinthecommunity.SEELAapproachedthe
storeownerinJune2015aboutpartneringtoconductahealthycornerstore
conversion.Afterbeingwellreceivedbythecornerstoreowner,SEELApartneredwith
theLosAngelesCountyDepartmentofPublicHealthsHealthyRetailProgramto
conductaninitialstoreassessmentandbegintheprocessoftransformingtheCentral
Store.Inaddition,SEELAannounceditspartnershipwiththestoretoastanding
communitystakeholdergroup,theWattsHealthyFarmersMarketCollaborative.This
collaborativeincludesmembersfromkeycommunityorganizationsaswellasWatts

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communitymembers.TheseorganizationsincludeCedarSanaiMedicalCenter,Coach
forKids,ChildrensInstitute,CommunityHealthCouncils,CouncilOffice15,First5LA,
CountyParksandRecreation,KaiserPermanente,YOWatts,MarkhamMiddleSchool,
VerbumDeiSchool,andtheWattsHealthWICprogramamongothers.
InJuly2015,SEELA,inpartnershipwiththecountysHealthyRetailProgram,
performedaninitialassessmentCX3assessmentofthestore.Thefindingsofthis
assessmentdemonstratedthatthestorewasprovidingavarietyofhealthyfoodoptions
yetthereweremanypointsforimprovementbeyondthis.Somekeyareasthatwere
identifiedincludeincreasinghealthyfoodsofferedatthecheckout,increasingqualityof
produceprovided,andincreasingsignagepromotinghealthyfoodsinsideandoutside
thestorewhiledecreasingunhealthyfoodads.
DuringAugust,freesignagewasprovidedtotheCentralStore.Thesepostersand
windowclingsenhancedpromotionforEBT/WICacceptanceandhadpositivehealth
messagingutilizingMyPlateprinciples.EachtimeSEELAstaffstoppedintoprovide
signage,thestoreownerandstaffwereincrediblyreceptiveandpostedsignage
immediately.
SEELAperformedanadditionalsurveytostorepatronsinSeptember2015withthe
helpofdieteticinterns.Theresultswereveryinformativeandgaveinsightintothe
regularpatronsofthestore.StorepatronsaresplitequallyamongSpanishandEnglish
speakers.Theaverageshopperlivesonthesameblockorwithinwalkingdistanceto
thestore,buyssomethingoncedayoratleast2timesperweek,hasafruitand
vegetablebudgetbetween$1070/week,residesinahouseholdbetween37people
andhasbetween15childrenunder18livingintheresidence.About50%of
individualsuseCalFreshbenefitsandslightlylessthan50%useWICbenefits.Overall,
customersfoundthattheCentralStoresprices,quality,andvarietywerecomparableor
betterthanothergrocerystoresinthearea.Theyrequestedmoreclearpricinglabels,
fooditemsforchildren,andsomeadditionalfruitsandvegetablesthestoredoesnot
currentlyhave.Patronswelcomedincreasedsignageforhealthyfoodoptions,
opportunitiestosamplefruitsandvegetablesandonsitecookingdemonstrations.
ThroughoutSeptember,theCentralStoretransformationtrulybegan.Theentirefood
aislesectionwasrearrangedtobettermatchfoodgroupsectionssuchasaspiceand
condimentsection,acannedfruitandvegetablesection,grainsection,etc.Inaddition,
foodsnotedtobehighinsugar,fat,andsodiumcontentweremovedhigheronthe
shelves,outofdirecteyelevelofchildren.Tipsforhealthymealideaswereaddedto
theisleswhichincludedideassuchasslicingapplestoaddtooatmealforbreakfast.
Theproducedisplayalsowentunderitsowntransformationwithattractiveprice
signagethatincludesnutritiontipsandbenefitsforthatparticularproduceitem.

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Furthermore,manynewpostersweredisplayedonthewallsandaroundthestore
encouraginghealthyfoodbehaviors.

DescriptionofBarriersEncounteredandIdentifiedor
ProposedSolutions
Overall,thestoreownerandstaffhavebeengenerousandamenabletothechanges
wehavesuggested.However,weencounteredonestaffmemberthatdidnotwantusto
changethecheckoutareaofthestore.Shecitedconcernforremovingcandiesthat
customersoftenpurchaseaswellassafetyissuesaroundourmaterialsblockingher
viewofstoresecuritycameras.Itisimportantforustohavebuyinfromthestaffwith
regardtochangesthatwemake.Weplanonhavingstafftrainingtoeducatetheowner
andstaffonthereasonswearemakingthechangesthatweare.Inthemeantime,
therearemanyotherareasofthestorethatwecanfocusonandwearewillingtogive
theextratimetothisparticularstaffmembertofeelcomfortablewiththechangeswe
aremaking.

Timealsoposesasabarrier.Theprocessofchangecantakeawhileandwe
recognizethatthingscannothappenovernight.Itisvitalthatwecapitalizeonour
partnershipsandarelationshipwiththecommunity.Indoingso,weoftenneedtowait
ontheavailabilityofotherswhichinevitablycandelayprogress.Webelievethatthe
payoutforpatienceisworthitandthus,whileprogressmaybeslowed,theendresult
willbestrongerandcreateabetteropportunityforsustainability.

FutureDirections/SustainableSuccess
Overthenext12years,SEELAplansoncontinuingtomakemarkedimprovements
withinthestorewhichincludeshavingarefrigeratordevotedtohealthybeveragesand
improvedsignageforeasyhealthyfooddecisionmaking.Wewillalsoplanonhosting
fooddemonstrationsonsitewhichwillincludehealthyeatingprinciplesandnutrition
education.OurcurrentpartnershipwiththeHealthyRetailProgramaswellasdietetic
internswillassistinachievingthisaim.CommunicationswithWICleadershiparealso
underwaytodiscusstheopportunitytouseWICstafftoassistwithshortandlongterm
complianceofthehealthycornerstorechanges.

Overthelongterm,weintendonstrengtheningthebondbetweenthecommunityand
thestoreandaimtodevelopapartnershipbetweenthestoreandtheWattsHealthy
FarmersMarketCollaborativetoprovideadditionalcommunityservicesforstore
patrons.WewouldliketoconnectthestoreownerwithourWattsHealthyFarmers
Marketfarmerstoallowforthesaleoflocalproducewithinthestore7daysaweek.

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