TULSA, Okla. — A Tulsa non-profit is championing the north Tulsa community by providing easy access to fresh produce.
2 News told you in July 2024 when The Grocery Box broke ground on the Dream Center’s campus.
At the edge of North Tulsa's Dream Center sits a bright green 700 square foot building filling a critical need.
“The first thing I look at were the eggs,” said Patricia Royals. “Eggs have been high but they’re reasonable in here.”
Patricia Royals visits the Dream Center nearly every day, and now a stop at the Grocery Box follows.
“Just to walk out of the pool and walk over here and buy my groceries,” said Royals. “I don’t have to drive anywhere. I can just come over here.”
The fridges are filled with fresh meat, eggs and milk. There’s plenty of shelf staples too like canned goods and bread.
“I don’t have to worry about traveling anywhere else to the grocery store,” said Royals.
Manager Tina Noordhoff says many people walk or bike to the store so it’s providing an easy solution for people who may have a more difficult time getting to a store further away.
“They can access fresh groceries,” said Tina Noordhoff. “They can access things that they normally can't get or they have to drive for."
Noordhoff says they’ve been open for about 6 weeks – but hosted a grand opening last week.
Last July, 2 News was there when RG foods broke ground on its first permanent location. At that time, Tulsa Dream Center’s executive director said the life expectancy is 10 years shorter on this side of 1-244 and fresh food could lead to the bigger picture of physical health in this community.
“We are really happy to be able to do this and be able to be a part of this change in the community,” said Noordhoff.
Noordhoff says their plans don’t stop here.
"At the old Comanche apartments they're building new apartments there and we are on the ground floor, and it is going to be 3,000 square feet with our own commercial deli and our own commercial kitchen,” she said.
For Royals, she’s just thankful for a closer option nearby.
"I can just come in here and shop to my heart's desire,” she said.
Noordhoff says they hope to open that second location by this fall.
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