BY JANET C. WETZEL
The Cincinnati Enquirer
MONROE -- McGee's IGA closed nearly two months ago, but residents are still grieving the loss of this city's only supermarket and asking officials to try to bring in a new one.
Yet it may be a long time before residents can load their shopping carts at a corner supermarket instead of driving 4-6 miles to shop. "We have a great location here right on the interstate (Interstate 75), halfway between Cincinnati and Dayton, halfway between Middletown and the West Chester - Tylersville area," said Jay Stewart, assistant city manager.
That's good for wooing industry and other businesses, "But's that's essentially what's hurting us in getting another supermarket," Mr. Stewart said.
Three major grocery retailers -- Kroger, Meijer and Thriftway -- have stores within a 6-mile radius of the city. And despite Monroe's continuing growth, the 7,000 residents in fewer than 3,000 households are "not likely enough to support a major supermarket," he said. That, coupled with the nearby competition, IGA's outdated building and limited selection of merchandise led to the store's demise in mid-June, Mr. Stewart said.
Adventure Properties, which owns the building on Main Street, just off Ohio 63, wants to rent it out after McGee's clears out its equipment and cleans up, office manager Rosemary Bake said.
"We'd love to have a supermarket in there because it seems that's what the local residents want," Mrs. Bake said. "I miss it. We all miss it."
Many of Mount Pleasant Retirement Village's 385 residents felt a keen loss when IGA closed, said Rose Cicak, marketing - public relations director. The village provides weekly transportation to the Towne Mall area in Middletown for mobile residents, and the driver can shop for a few people. But others still need the convenience of a nearby store, she said.
Violet Bolser said she's just one of Mount Pleasant's residents left in a bind when IGA closed. "There are many of us that don't drive and can't get to the grocery, and they always delivered them for us," Mrs. Bolser said.
Towne Mall Kroger came to the rescue with deliveries about three weeks ago, she said.
Many residents still call City Hall, complaining about the loss.
"People say, "Can't you be doing more?' Well, yes and no. You let the market play it out," Mr. Stewart said.
There are no real incentives the city can offer, he said. "The private sector usually comes to the city on something like this." But the demise of IGA is known in the grocery industry, and no one is knocking on the city's door, he said.
