First-of-its-kind grocery store lets customers buy products for free — and you just need a Costco-style card

A PIONEERING grocery store that allows customers to leave without paying has opened its doors in a major US city.

The District 10 Community Market will serve people in San Francisco, California, but not everyone will qualify to shop there.

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This free grocery store opened in the city’s Bayview neighborhood on Tuesday, June 5th.

The concept was the first of its kind in San Francisco.

Low-income residents will be able to choose from a selection of fresh foods and groceries and not pay a dime for them, according to the city of San Francisco Press release.

This store differs from other services such as food banks in that they typically hand out pre-selected bags to people.

The District 10 Community Market allowed people in need to walk through the aisles as they would at another grocery store.

People will have the freedom to choose the items they need and place them in their carts.

Currently, the market is only open on Wednesdays and Fridays and customers can visit it every two weeks.

Eligibility

Shoppers who want to visit this market must obtain a grocery card, similar to the Costco card, through a nonprofit organization that partners with the store.

To do this, prospects must meet four criteria.

First, only residents of zip codes 94124, 94107 or 94134 will be able to visit.

Second, the buyer must have children at home or have a food-related illness.

Third, a person must receive public assistance, such as CalFresh, Medi-Cal, and CalWORKs, or less than $45,180 for a single adult, or $93,600 for a family of four.

Finally, all buyers must be directed to the market by a community group.

The 4,000-square-foot market will also work to connect individuals and families in need to other social services and resources.

There will also be staff who speak Spanish, Cantonese and Samoan to reflect the local area.

District 10 includes neighborhoods that have been designated “food deserts” by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Food deserts are areas with limited access to food products, especially fresh, healthy products.

The city’s mayor, London Breed, praised the work this market would do to combat this food desert.

“Equitable access to fresh, healthy food options is critical for communities to thrive and to ensure we care for the city’s most vulnerable residents,” said the Mayor.

The market was founded by Geoffrea Morris and store supervisor Ahsha Safaí.

“This is the first,” said Safaí The San Francisco Standard.

“We will continue to do more in San Francisco.”

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