‘We know it's tough times': Ward 8 residents worried only grocery store east of the river could close

A D.C. Council member is sounding the alarm over the wide-reaching impact of crime. Trayon White, who represents Ward 8, says if rampant shoplifting continues, the Giant grocery store on Alabama Avenue may be forced to close its doors.

"We're going to work with Giant to keep this open!" White told residents.

On Friday, he shared a call to action to save an oasis in what is otherwise a food desert in Southeast D.C. The Giant on Alabama Avenue SE is the only full-service grocery store east of the Anacostia River in Ward 8. White says he’s met with management at Giant, who tell him they’ve lost hundreds of thousands of dollars due to shoplifting at the store.

"Taking from this store is really taking from yourself," White said.

"We know it’s tough times and we know the price of food has skyrocketed in the last three years," White said. "But we cannot afford to hurt ourselves by constantly taking from the store, because that means everybody is going to be without a place to eat, and enough is enough."

News4 reached out to Giant, which says it does not currently have plans to close the store, but shared this statement:

"The reality is that theft and violence at this store is significant, and getting worse, not better. As a result, it is becoming increasingly more difficult to operate under these conditions. We have invested in a host of measures to mitigate the issue at this store, and across many stores, but we also need the help and partnership from the community and local officials to truly combat the theft and violence that continues to escalate."

Those who live here say the store is vital to the neighborhood.

"This is like the corner store," Ward 8 resident Noble Ali said. "It’s not just a supermarket. If I wanted a soda, I'd have to come to the Giant. Bag of chips, I have to come to the Giant. If I want groceries to feed my whole household, I would have to come to the Giant, so the Giant is essential. It's like the anchor for this particular area."

If this Giant location were to close, then the nearest grocery store after that would be the Safeway nearly two miles away in Ward 7.

"We don’t go way up to the Safeway; you see what I'm saying? We come to this Giant," said Ward 8 resident Ms. Dorsey, who did not want to give her first name. "And it helps me because I live right down the street, and I barely can get around."

Making sure this store is around for everyone is top priority. White says there are resources and programs available for those in need of food in Ward 8, so that shoplifting is not necessary.

Navy Yard, which was reassigned from Ward 6 to Ward 8 after the 2020 census, is served by major grocery chains including Harris Teeter and Whole Foods.