Only one grocery store stays open on Amelia Island, residents voice considerations over access to food

Grocery procuring has become more and more tough for Fernandina Beach residents, as two of the island’s three main grocery shops are closed for renovations, leaving only one store, Harris Teeter, open to serve the whole neighborhood.

Harris Teeter not too long ago celebrated the grand reopening of its Amelia Island location. But with heightened demand, customers are experiencing long strains, restricted parking, and growing frustration.

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<

As crowds packed the newly reopened Harris Teeter, some prospects were compelled to park along curbs and facet streets. That created points for drivers like Charlotte Roberts.

“When I came back, I noticed the entire side of my car had been scraped by another automobile,” Roberts said.

The pressure on the store comes after the island’s Winn-Dixie closed in late July to start its conversion into an Aldi—a course of expected to take six to eight months. Meanwhile, the island’s Publix has been closed since April and isn’t expected to reopen until next fall.

[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]

“Winn-Dixie was here, and Publix was here. We missed them. Everybody misses them,” said resident Kay Stein.

“We are not happy about that. No one is happy. I’m gonna start going off island, I guess,” she added.

For some residents, particularly those without dependable transportation, leaving the island to store for food isn’t a practical option.

“It’s insane because I do a lot of work with Barnabas. There are a lot of people who are in bad situations, and they live in that area of town. They can’t get to the grocery store. They have no place to shop,” said Roberts

To tackle these considerations, the Fernandina Beach City Council not too long ago mentioned a proposal to launch a summer season shuttle initiative to help residents attain grocery shops.

However, metropolis officers said the plan did not transfer ahead.

Until more choices return, many locals say they’ll need to journey off-island—or rely on neighbors—for their most fundamental wants.

[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]