Goodwill renovating space near downtown Hagerstown for grocery store

Horizon Goodwill breaks ground for future grocery store near downtown Hagerstown

Horizon Goodwill Industries held a groundbreaking in late July for renovations to provide a grocery store near downtown Hagerstown, with the goal to provide affordable access to healthy food in an area considered a food desert.

Horizon Goodwill President and CEO David Shuster said the grocery store at 200 N. Prospect St. is expected to open near the end of this year or early next year.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture describes a food desert as an area "where people have limited access to a variety of healthy and affordable food," according to its website. Shuster said that can include issues with access to transportation such as owning a car.

Horizon Goodwill's goal is to provide a mix of food, including fresh fruits, vegetables and meat at an affordable price in the greater downtown area where residents might now be paying convenience store type prices, Shuster said.

The nonprofit opened its second Horizon Corner Store, in April at the Hagerstown Housing Authority's Walnut Towers complex, Shuster said. The first store opened at little over two years ago at the housing authority's C.W. Brooks building off West Baltimore Street. Both stores are open to the public, though the Walnut Towers one has better street access.

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Shuster said both stores are geared more toward the convenience side, with Goodwill trying to provide fruits and healthier prepackaged choices as well as typical fare like potato chips and candy.

Part of the effort, including with the coming grocery store, is respecting people's choices and dignity with the food selections that will be offered, Shuster said. There will still be items like chips, but not as broad a selection as could be found in a typical grocery store.

Horizon Goodwill will be hosting community engagement sessions to see what products residents in the area of the future grocery store like and need, he said.

Shuster said the renovation is expected to cost around $1.5 million to $1.75 million.

There are many grants and funders behind the project, with the two largest coming from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development and the Appalachian Regional Commission through the state of Maryland.

Like Goodwill's other programs, the grocery store will be a workforce training opportunity. Folks working for Goodwill's store will receive training and work experience that could help them get a job at a for-profit grocery store.

Senior Benefit Services moves Hagerstown-area office

Senior Benefit Services, which helps provide insurance plans for retirees, has moved its local office from Label Lane near Maugansville to 580 Northern Ave., Suite F, in the Hagerstown area.

The move provides a more accessible site for the company's advisors and clients, and for local residents, Vice President David Jones wrote in an email.

Senior Benefit Services provides insurance plans designed for retirees and those about to retire. The firm does this work for customers in several states, including Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia and Florida, according to information Jones provided.

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The work includes helping customers understand their insurance needs to find the right Medicare Supplement and Medicare Advantage plans. The company also helps with retirement income planning and dental, vision and hearing, hospital indemnity, and short-term home health care plans.

The local office is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, and from 9 a.m. to noon on Fridays or until 5 p.m. during the annual enrollment period.

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If you have details on a business coming or going in Washington County, Md., or Franklin County, Pa., email us at news@herald-mail.com .

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Goodwill renovating space near downtown Hagerstown for grocery store