Across the Adirondacks, small grocery stores do important work. They keep communities fed, connect neighbors, and make it possible for people to live in places that might otherwise lose access to fresh, healthy food. Many of these stores operate on slim margins, so even small equipment upgrades can be out of reach.
AdkAction’s Rural Grocery Microgrant project aims to meet this need with practical support thanks to an Adirondack Community Foundation Generous Acts Grant. We are currently securing equipment for four participating stores across the Adirondacks.
Trusting Local Knowledge
This project emphasizes our unofficial motto at AdkAction: work with people, not at them.
Rather than offering one-size-fits-all upgrades, we invited each grocer to identify what would make the biggest difference in their operations and their ability to offer fresh food. Their responses reflect real experience and a deep understanding of their communities. Each store we are working with requested different equipment to fit their situations.
What Grocers Are Prioritizing
Keeseville Grocery is investing in a cardboard compactor and cooler curtains. These upgrades will save 6 to 8 hours of labor each week, cut energy use, and allow them to take advantage of free cardboard pickup from their grocery distributor instead of paying for zero-sort recycling. That saved time and cost can directly go back into stocking and improving fresh food options.
In Long Lake, the ADK Trading Post is replacing a failing commercial refrigerator. Reliable refrigeration is critical in a community located far from the nearest full-service grocery store. The new unit will stabilize temperatures, reduce food waste, and support a wider selection of fresh and prepared foods.
At Otto’s Abode in Wanakena, a growing business is tackling operational constraints with shopping carts, display cases, refrigeration, and labeling equipment. These additions will help expand prepared food options, improve efficiency, and better serve both customers and local producers.
The Ticonderoga Natural Foods Co-op is upgrading produce displays for unrefrigerated items like squash, potatoes, and tomatoes. Improved displays will increase capacity, reduce spoilage, and create a more inviting shopping experience that encourages customers to choose fresh food.
Small Investments, Lasting Impact
These investments sound simple, but their impact is significant. They save staff time, help keep food safe and available, improve how fresh food is presented, and strengthen daily operations.
Together, these changes support stronger rural businesses and more consistent access to fresh food. This kind of action leads to visible, lasting change.
Informing What Comes Next
AdkAction’s Rural Grocery Microgrant project can serve as a model for supporting small grocers through targeted, flexible investments. The lessons learned here can inspire similar efforts in other Adirondack communities and in rural areas beyond.
When this project concludes, AdkAction will gather a Learning Blueprint to share insights, outcomes, and practical advice to help others adapt this approach in their own communities.
