Thursday, July 29, 2021

History about the St. John Food Market in Flint, Michigan explained and explored.

St. John Food Market is one of the forgotten neighborhood grocery stores of Flint, Michigan which has been forgotten with time. The history of this grocery store has not been accurately preserved. St. John Food Market served the former St. John neighborhood located on the East Side of Flint. This news article will explain the history behind St. John Food Market.


St. John Food Market was established and constructed as a neighborhood grocery store called Staple and Fancy Groceries at 3217 St John Street around 1895. However exactly when is unknown. What is known is that Staple and Fancy Groceries specialized in selling fresh meat as listed in the 1921 edition of Flint City Directory. Staple and Fancy Groceries was owned and operated by John Knobloch. Staple and Fancy Groceries had another sore on Asylum Street. (Ref: https://books.google.com/books?id=n1QXAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA1077&lpg=PA1077&dq=%223217+St+John%22+flint&source=bl)



John Knobloch changed the name of Staple and Fancy Groceries to St. John Food Market somewhere around 1925. St. John Food Market was then a well known neighborhood grocery store.

St. John Food Market had specialized in selling quality food and fresh meats at low prices much throughout the early 20th century.Of course St. John Food Market had already been specializing in selling fresh meat by that point. (Ref: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045324/1939-01-14/ed-1/seq-7/)


Sadly St. John Food Market was demolished in 1982 due to urban renewal plans the City of Flint had for expanding I 475 (UAW Freeway). Construction of I 475 through the St. John neighborhood displaced many citizens, grocery stores, clubs, taverns, and schools. People were disenfranchised by the federal government. (Ref: I-475 construction and Pierson Road reconstruction, Flint, Corridor and alignment statement : environmental impact statement)

St. John Food Market was located at 3217 St John Street, Flint, Michigan, US 48505/3217 St. John Street Flint, Michigan, US 48505.

No comments:

Post a Comment