Grocery store that stopped raising prices to help people with food inflation may face closure

By Hannah McDonald

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    NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WTVF) — Small businesses that weathered the pandemic are now grappling with today’s economy.

One local grocery store that we told you stopped raising prices to help people with food inflation is now in a bind. Unfortunately, the owner of A&M Marketplace at the Nashville Farmers’ Market says they could be days away from closing.

The store opened in 2020, which has made the owners pretty resilient, however, they got a notice in early October that because they’re in default they have until November 7 to come up with $27,095.

Storeowner Martha Lupai claims that an ongoing issue with squirrels in the Market House has caused her to throw out more than $5,700 in food due to contamination, halt her smoothie business—costing her $150 per day—and close her store multiple times to disinfect and clean. She’s spoken to city leaders about this issue.

Lupai said she was offered and committed to a repayment plan to get caught up, but the Nashville Farmers’ Market is now going back on their word.

“I just want them to honor what they said because you cannot tell a small business owner, a minority owner, you cannot come and say I’m doing this and then just change it immediately,” said Lupai.

At a September meeting with the executive director and finance director, Lupai says she agreed to pay her regular $8,717 a month plus an additional $2,028.56 through June to settle the debt.

Three weeks later, Lupai got a notice of default instructing her to cure the default in 15 days.

“I was misled. I felt like I was set up so this will happen,” Lupai said.

According to the Farmers’ Market, the board of commissioners declined the repayment plan at the September meeting.

Lupai was prepared to pay $10,745 a month through June, not come up with $27,095 in two weeks.

“I feel like this is a retaliation for us,” Lupai said.

A&M Marketplace will be shut down if the situation isn’t remedied by November 7.

They have set up a GoFundMe if you would like to help them.

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