ATLANTIC BEACH, Fla. – For more than a decade, residents living near Mayport have had few options when it comes to buying fresh food and groceries — a situation many describe as a food desert.
Atlantic Beach Mayor Curtis Ford is proposing a plan to sell a 1.25-acre city-owned parcel on northern Mayport Road to a developer who wants to build a DG Market — a specialty offshoot of Dollar General that carries produce, meats, and refrigerated food products.
“After so many years of literally having a food desert on Mayport Road, we actually have a solution,” Ford said. “Some may call it a partial solution because it’s not a full-size grocery, but it is a significant step forward.”
How the area became a food desert
The problem has been building for years. A Food Lion closed in 2012, and Terry’s Country Store — a beloved local mom-and-pop shop — shut its doors in 2022.
“Terry’s Country Store was a mom-and-pop food store that had meats, seafood, produce — all the things that we are missing,” Ford said. “It really has become an issue.”
Today, the nearest full-service options are miles away. For residents without a car, the distances are especially difficult.
“We have so many people that literally walk to Walgreens to buy what little product they can find there and they walk home with a grocery bag,” Ford said.
One resident told News4JAX the lack of grocery access has influenced their decision to possibly leave.
“We’re planning on moving out because of that,” the resident said.
What the proposal includes
The city of Atlantic Beach owns the 1.25-acre parcel, acquired in the 1990s as part of its purchase of the Buccaneer Water Service. Mayor Ford says the land is currently zoned for mobile home use, meaning a zoning change through the city of Jacksonville would be required before development could begin.
A developer has submitted an offer of approximately $875,000. The city is now pursuing a formal appraisal before bringing a finalized contract back to the City Commission. If approved, Dollar General representatives told the commission the store could be built within 12 to 14 months.
“I have a fiduciary responsibility to the citizens of Atlantic Beach to know that number on a true market,” Ford said.
Residents have mixed reactions
Not everyone is on board. While some residents welcome any new food option, others raised concerns about the location — including parking near an elementary school.
“I personally don’t think it would be a good idea because we have a school that’s directly across the street from it,” one resident said. “A lot of the parents don’t have anywhere to park when they come to pick up their children.”
Ford emphasized the proposal would serve residents well beyond Atlantic Beach — including those in Mayport Village near the ferry landing.