Peoria Area Grocery Store Sells Watermelons at a Loss to Feed a Food Desert. Owner Has Not Turned a Profit in 3 Years.

A store that refuses to price out its neighbors

Yevette Jemison bought a watermelon for $11. She sold it for $8.99.

"I personally would not charge customers what I consider a high price," Jemison said.

That is the business model at Family Mini-Mart & Grocery Store LLC in Bellevue, a small community southwest of Peoria. The store opened on Juneteenth in 2023. It is now three years old. It has never turned a profit.

Jemison works a full-time job to help cover expenses. She and a family member staff the store alone. Hours remain inconsistent because they are the only people available to keep the doors open.

A food desert in the 61604 and 61605 area codes

The store sits at 3611 W Harmon Hwy in Bellevue. Jemison said there are no grocery stores between the 61604 and 61605 zip codes where residents can buy everyday necessities.

"We are in a food desert," Jemison said. "There are no grocery stores from the 61604 to the 61605-area code, that locals can just go in and grab the necessities that they need for their home to be able to feed their families."

Customers walk into a small space with groceries on the left and cleaning supplies and hygiene products on the right. A table near the front holds free produce and items nearing their expiration date.

Jemison said she wants residents to find everything they need in one place.

"I want them to be able to come in and shop for their everyday needs. I want to be able to provide everything for them, so they will not have to feel like, 'Oh we have this store here, but then we have got to go here to get something else,'" she said.

A statewide problem with a state response

Jemison is not the only independent grocer struggling to serve underserved Illinois communities. About one in four Illinois residents lives in a USDA-defined food desert, according to state officials.

In April 2026, Governor JB Pritzker announced the Illinois Grocery Initiative, a $20 million pilot program designed to fund new grocery stores in food deserts and prevent closures of existing ones, according to Illinois Government Today.

The program includes two grant tracks:

• New Stores in Food Deserts Program: Awards range from $160,000 to $2.4 million with a 1-to-3 match requirement from businesses. Grants cover construction, renovation, and first-year operating costs such as wages, utilities, and initial inventory.
• Equipment Upgrades Program: Allocates $3.5 million for energy-efficient upgrades including HVAC systems, refrigeration units, and lighting.

Eligible stores must be located in a USDA-defined food desert, earn less than 30% of revenue from alcohol and tobacco sales, accept SNAP and WIC, and contribute to fresh food diversity in the community.

"The truth is: too many people live in food deserts, and it is contributing to an ongoing public health crisis," Pritzker said at the program announcement. "This is a first-of-its-kind state government investment, and it will have a significant impact on under-served rural towns and urban neighborhoods dealing firsthand with the struggles of food access."

Jemison did not say whether her store has applied for or received a grant under the initiative.

A call for volunteers

New customers continue to discover the Bellevue store, Jemison said. She keeps a suggestion box near the checkout counter for ideas on how to better serve the community.

She is asking for volunteers to help expand hours, particularly on weekends and evenings.

"Even though I am working, I am still managing to make sure these doors are open," Jemison said, holding back tears.

The store remains open at 3611 W Harmon Hwy in Bellevue. Hours are subject to change based on staffing availability.

---

Sources: Angeles Ponpa, 25News Now, June 20, 2026; Illinois Government Today, April 9, 2026