‘Convenient’: Couple opens new sustainable grocery store

By Lily O’Shea Becker

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    LAWRENCE, Kansas (KSHB) — Reanna and Chad Slagel opened Jody’s Market in downtown Lawrence on Wednesday, July 3, with sustainability and convenience in mind.

The couple came up with the idea in February after living in different cities across the country and traveling to Mexico for four months, where they say local corner stores are common.

The Slagels have lived in Lawrence twice before, and upon this move back, the couple wanted to create a pedestrian-friendly corner store for those who work, live and play downtown.

“Actually we saw the space that’s for lease, and we were like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is the spot that we’ve been talking about that downtown needs the grocery store in,'” Chad Slagel said.

The Slagels reached out to nearby residents and businesses about what foods and snacks they’d like to see in the store located at 10 E. 9th Street, Suite C. They even took into account what kids at the city’s pool — located just a few blocks away — may want to see in the store.

“Everyone kind of helped us out with that,” Reanna Slagel said. “They were like, ‘We want grab-and-go lunches, we want a quick thing for grocery produce,’ and so that was really helpful for us.”

Jody’s Market listened and offers those products, but in limited inventory to reduce waste. Having opened less than a week ago, the Slagels said they’ve already sold out of certain products and business is going well.

“If we do have waste, we plan on donating it to maybe Just Food to kind of help them with veggies,” Reanna Slagel said. “They’re doing a lot of free lunches throughout the summer.”

Jody’s Market also has a 25-cent fee for customers who don’t bring reusable bags.

“Our single-serve drinks are only in glass and aluminum to try to stop the waste for plastic bottles, cut down on that a little bit,” Reanna Slagel said.

It’s a concept nearby business owner Jasmine Hyde said is right up her alley. Hyde owns a refillery shop just a block away and was shopping at Jody’s Market on Sunday.

“I live a few blocks away, so I’m even more excited to be able to walk over here and grab something if I need it,” Hyde said.

Reanna Slagel named the store after her mother, Jody, who passed away after a car accident in 2021.

“There’s just so much love there,” Reanna Slagel said. “That’s why I wanted to make this store bright and friendly and inviting, to kind of have a legacy to leave in her name.”

According to the Slagels, the Lawrence community is welcoming the addition.

“We thought it might be slow here our first week, people might not know we’re here or whatever, but it’s been like the complete opposite,” Chad Slagel said. “So, that’s probably the main thing, the support from everybody in Lawrence.”

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