COMMUNITY GROCERY STORE
Opened 11/11/21 - Permanently Closed 3/18/26
MEISER'S - SMALL GROCERY, BIG IMPACT
Meiser's Parkview Market was an institution that served our city dating back to the 1940's. Shoppers in Lower Price Hill appreciated the sense of community and care that the family brought to their shopping experience--hiring local neighbors who would check in on them as they shopped and who knew their favorite purchases--and providing an abundance of fresh, nutritious foods.
So, when the Meiser family announced their retirement in 2017, neighbors took up the charge to build a community-led social enterprise by the people, and for the people. They surveyed each other about how a new market could look and created a vision, then partnered with Price Hill Will to begin renovations as a landlord for the old grocery while they created Your Store of the Queen City to incubate fundraising and operations for a replacement store. They decided to keep the name of Meiser's in honor of the family's brand and legacy, one that demonstrated the possibility of community-connectedness through a loving and neighborly business.
In 2019, neighbors began redeveloping the old storefront into what it looks like today. They started Meiser's Fresh Grocery & Deli to provide fresh grocery access with a focus on community needs. Meiser's accepted SNAP and WIC and also offered free groceries thanks to its local partners, Freestore Foodbank, Last Mile Food Rescue, and La Soupe. We are proud of the legacy Meiser's created in Lower Price Hill and look forward to the next neighbor-led initiative in that storefront space.
MEISER'S PARKVIEW MARKET - BEFORE
MEISER'S FRESH GROCERY & DELI - RENOVATIONS
MAKING FRESH FOOD ACCESSIBLE
Your Store of the Queen City, believes that good, fresh food should not only be available to all, but at the BEST prices. This means we'll not only offer traditional retail that can be paid for with cash, credit, debit, SNAP, WIC, and other coupons; but that shoppers will also get to enjoy a range of products on the shelves that are available on a sliding scale donation basis, starting at $0.
Meiser's Fresh Grocery and Deli will carry a range of products, including fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, dairy, bulk dry goods, spices, pantry staples, and foods. For the busy shopper, there will also be a small assortment of home goods, including personal and baby care, paper and cleaning products, and toiletries. Just as exciting, there will be a line of convenient, fresh, hyper-locally sourced prepared foods available on a grab-n-go basis.
SHARING RECIPES FOR WELLBEING
Food is a vital force through which we experience every day. Traditions of sharing rich home cooking permeate the history and culture of Lower Price Hill.
Generations of revered neighborhood bakers, chefs, and cooking group members are preparing to launch a recipe renaissance, to inspire creative exploration with fresh ingredients and spices.
These local recipes and the stories behind them will be featured in displays, print, and cooking demonstrations with free samples for all neighbors. From these foundations, displays and specials will be featured in-store to honor our neighborhood heritage of family-favorites.
GROWING JOBS AND ENTREPRENEURS
Meiser's Fresh Grocery and Deli is more than a food enterprise. It's a hyper-local launchpad for economic development with a commitment to financially empowering Lower Price Hill residents.
What does that look like? For starters, a commitment to hiring neighbors. And at the next level: Incubating youth and adult entrepreneurship with commercial food preparation programs; designating store space for local consignment and constructive feedback from shoppers--intentionally putting earnings directly into the pockets of LPH residents.
CULTIVATING COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
"What I miss most about having a local store is that it was some place where you walk in to buy a coffee and they know you. Neighbors would know everything about what's going on. I live alone, and people asked how I'm doing."
Meiser's Fresh Grocery and Deli will be a pit stop for morning coffees and lunches. Students from Oyler School will pop in for snacks. It will be a place to grab a hot drink on a cold day. It will be a space where all people can connect organically over the commonality of food.
Staff will be trained in restorative practices of communication, character strengths, and responding to the needs of neighbors--connecting them to local news, events and resources. After all, everybody eats.
COMMUNITY-CONNECTED
When grocery shelves were empty: 2020 Pandemic Support
Remember the feeling of panic when you were rushing to the grocery store for toilet paper, paper towels, and household cleaners--only to find the shelves completely bare?
During the most critical early periods of the pandemic, Meiser's helped Lower Price Hill families obtain products to protect themselves--free of charge. We used our wholesale grocery supply chain to source and donate scarce and in-demand household sanitation items to our most vulnerable neighbors. Meiser's distributed these items through nonprofit and school partners who already had an infrastructure in place to safely offer meals and other essentials.
This is the power of neighbor-led social enterprise.
Meiser's grocery supply chain allowed us to obtain and donate hard-to-find cleansers, soap, paper towels, toilet and facial tissues that are essential for families' health and safety.
Lower Price Hill community and pantry partners provide support for more than 150 of our neighborhood's most vulnerable families weekly.
As a collaborative network, Community Matters, State Avenue United Methodist Church, Oyler School, Community Learning Center Institute and Santa Maria Family Center each help facilitate the delivery of our household product donations to families.
Together, we empowered families in Cincinnati's battle against the pandemic.
This is what it means to be a community-based grocery.