According to BizTimes, the Milwaukee Common Council approved a 2027 budget amendment on Friday that creates a separate funding account of $1.8 million to support grocery‑store and pharmacy retention in the city.
The amendment builds on the Council’s 2026 legislation, introduced in April, which already set aside $2.8 million for the same purpose. Alderman DiAndre Jackson, the amendment’s author, said the city plans to offset the new funding by increasing withdrawals from the Tax Stabilization Fund, a step that will require a separate resolution to keep the budget neutral and avoid any impact on property taxes.
Council members highlighted that “access to full‑service grocery stores and pharmacies is essential to public health, food security, medication access, and overall quality of life for Milwaukee residents,” Jackson said in a press release.
Since June 2025, eight grocery stores within roughly a 15‑mile radius of Milwaukee’s north side and Oak Creek have closed, including five Kroger‑operated Pick ’n Save locations, two Aldi stores, and a locally owned Sentry Food store. The former Sentry Foods at 6350 W. Silver Spring Drive shut its doors in early 2026; owner Viral Patel announced plans to reopen the site as One City Foods in late April, but the Google listing still showed the store closed as of Nov. 9.
Among the closed sites, the former Aldi at 5301 N. Hopkins St. is the only location with a redevelopment proposal. In July, Milwaukee business owner Gurdev Singh applied for a permit to open a new grocery outlet called Hopkins Grocery, which would feature a retail sales floor, checkout areas, grocery displays, coolers, freezers, and on‑site parking and loading zones. The online listing for the address also indicated the store remains closed.
What’s next: The Common Council must adopt a resolution to increase withdrawals from the Tax Stabilization Fund before the $1.8 million can be deployed. City officials will also monitor the progress of the Hopkins Grocery permit and any further redevelopment plans for the former Sentry Foods site, as the city seeks to stabilize grocery and pharmacy access for neighborhoods that have been hard‑hit by recent closures.
Sources: biztimes.com
