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The Clackamas County Public Health Division has awarded $20,000 provided by the Oregon Health Authority to a Milwaukie convenience store to help its owners adopt a “healthy retail” business model.
By adopting this new business model, The Little Blue Store is ending tobacco and nicotine sales and offering more items that support a healthy community. Findings from this pilot project will help inform the next steps in Clackamas County’s healthy retail work.
“Healthy retail” is a model for bringing fresh and healthy food options to convenience stores because, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the availability of healthier foods is an environmental factor contributing to a person’s diet and risk of related chronic diseases. A healthy retail environment is one where it is easy and cost effective to make healthy food purchases. The goal is to encourage customers to purchase and consume fruits, vegetables, water and other nutritious products by increasing access to healthy food and decreasing access to substances like tobacco and nicotine products.
“This pilot project is an exciting way to promote community health while also supporting small business development,” said Clackamas County Public Health Division Director Philip Mason-Joyner. “We hope it shows other stores that making changes like these is possible.”
The Little Blue Store has already ended its tobacco sales and is developing a plan to start carrying fresh produce as well as offering Ethiopian cuisine. “We’re proud members of the community and we don’t want to see the health of our neighbors negatively impacted,” said Hagos Tekle, co-owner of The Little Blue Store.
Along with funding, the owners will receive business advising and technical support from Livelihood NW, which fosters business sustainability and growth for historically under-served entrepreneurs within local communities.
Livelihood NW had already been working with The Little Blue Store since July. “We are thrilled that they have been awarded this grant and look forward to further supporting them with the additional operational planning needed to bring their vision to life,” said Business Advisor Dani Olson.
Switching to a healthy retail business model comes with many benefits for stores, including taking advantage of products with higher mark-ups than tobacco, reaching new customers, saving money on tobacco licenses, staying ahead of trending tobacco regulations, differentiating their business from others in the community, reducing crime associated with tobacco sales and supporting a healthy community.