The New Corner Store

Local-foods movement inspires a new breed of grocery

Imagine Whole Foods, without so much imported food, sticker shock and glitz. Or picture a farmers' market, open nearly all week long, with a roof over its head and maybe even a stock of grocery items like natural cereals and recycled paper towels.

A new breed of corner store is popping up in and around Baltimore. Inspired by the local-foods movement, a handful of small independent markets are on the drawing boards, nearly open, or already up and running. Even given the down economy and the thin margins typical of the supermarket industry, there's a sense that there is a market for a locavore grocery store.

"People are becoming — and thank goodness for this — much more educated about food, where it comes from, how healthy it is, and that it's OK if it's not organic but you know the source," said Ned Atwater of Atwater's Naturally Leavened Bread. "The customers are people who are willing to spend a little bit more of a percentage of their income on food than they were in the past."

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