Starting this week, John’s Corner Deli 7500 35th Ave SW is making some exciting changes. For years, John’s (also known for the cow standing on top of the store) has carried traditional convenience store items such as soda, candy and alcohol. Now David Ji, the owner, is going back to John’s roots as a small grocer and will carry fresh produce and other staple items.

New signage for John's went up Nov. 29 both outside and inside, actually replacing beer posters, to make it clear that the products are available. The signage was designed by Kathi George of Noise without Sound design, a well known South Park and White Center community participant.

Inside the store merchandising carts are in place to display fruits and vegetables. These replace displays for chips and other unhealthy snacks.

“This is a great time for community members to support the healthy changes happening at the store. Stop by and buy some fruit or veggies and let David know what other healthy foods you would like to see there,” says Chuck Genuardi, a grocery consultant.

John’s Corner Deli is among a handful of West Seattle stores participating in Healthy Foods Here. The other West Seattle stores include Delridge Deli Mart (Delridge and Andover), High Point Mini Market and Walgreens (both located near 35th Ave SW and Morgan).

"We have about 45 stores in the Seattle area that the program is going up in," said George, "It's the same program that helped stock Stockbox Grocers."

"David is very excited about bringing in organic produce, which is not necessarily the case in all of the stores. He's even brought in organic coffee and eggs."

The program also includes training for the merchants in how to merchandise and preserve the produce.

Healthy Foods Here is a partnership between Public Health – Seattle & King County and the City of Seattle’s Office of Economic Development. This pioneering county-wide program is a new model of integrating economic development and public health to bring healthier food options to neighborhoods without access to many healthy foods. The King County Food & Fitness Initiative and the White Center Community Development Association are also collaborative partners in spreading the word in the community about the exciting changes happening in these stores.

Healthy Foods Here focuses on stores in areas with low-access to healthy food retail and stores that provide culturally-appropriate foods. Many of these stores are located in areas of King County that have high rates of diet-based chronic diseases, such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Healthy Foods Here is supported by Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW), a federally-funded grant to address obesity and tobacco use, two of the leading causes of death in King County.

For more information about the Healthy Foods Here project, please visit the official website at www.healthyfoodshere.com. Promotional materials, pictures, and interviews can be scheduled upon request.
 
For more information on CPPW, please visit www.kingcounty.gov/health/cppw and the new campaign, Let's Do This, that encourages residents to get involved in improving the health of their communities.