Carrs Store Closes: Farewell to Fairview’s Historic Landmark
by carlos matías
“The closure of Carrs is a hard blow for the neighborhood. It was the only grocery and drug store that everyone could walk to,” laments Ninetta Regalado from her home in Fairview, where she has lived for over a year.
Fairview is the humblest area of Anchorage, with low-income households, and the neighborhood most in need of economic stimulus and job creation, as well as commercial and leisure offerings. Its social unrest and crime rates have increased in recent years.
Carrs was the oldest grocery store in Fairview, historically known as “The People’s Carrs.” Its closure, after almost 70 years, has left a huge void in the neighborhood. The store was owned by Albertsons, which has put the building and land up for sale with a “no competition” clause for any food distribution company, leaving the neighborhood’s most basic needs unmet.
Fairview has the highest population density, the lowest car ownership rate, and the highest percentage of food stamp recipients. “Without a car, you can’t go to another store,” says Ninetta Regalado.
The closest stores to Fairview are Midtown Carrs (part of the same chain) and Fred Meyer (a Kroger subsidiary). To get there, the City of Anchorage, led by Mayor Suzanne LaFrance, has arranged free transportation with NeighborWorks Alaska (a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life in neighborhoods) and Alaska-based transportation company BAC Transportation. However, the agreement is temporary.
The free transportation service began on July 19. “It will be offered on Saturdays and Sundays between 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. until October 27 (...) This is an excellent short-term solution to ensure that Fairview residents have access to grocery stores while we work on a long-term strategy,” Anchorage Mayor Suzanne LaFrance said in a statement.
Fairview has about 7,200 residents (14% or 15% Hispanic); an average household income of approximately $55,000 per year; and a poverty rate of approximately 21%, according to City-Data.com.
Fairview was once an independent city. But it was annexed as part of Anchorage in the 1950s. At that time, it was the only neighborhood in the city where African Americans could purchase property, according to Alaska.org. The neighborhood experienced a period of decline after the construction of the Seward Highway, known as the North-South intersection of Ingra and Gambell streets. It has an elementary school for about 400 students, from preschool through sixth grade.
