Carl Johnson – Bringing Affordable and Healthy Food Options to Dayton’s Bluff

For almost three years, Carl Johnson has been filling his “storehouse” to support his local community. Besides providing affordable staples, Carl is constantly giving back to his community.

Carl is the owner of Storehouse Grocers & Coffee and has been a resident of St. Paul, Minnesota since 2016.

“What makes us different is… we provide basic staple ideas at an affordable price. We want to make sure the people in our community don’t have to choose between buying food and paying bills or taking care of any other critical needs. We also hold Black Farmers’ Market events and provide hot meals for people in our community.”

Carl is what we like to call a Local Biz Hero, a self-made entrepreneur who brings true value to his community. A high standard of professionalism, selfless service and strong work ethics of small business owners like Carl are the infrastructure of St. Paul Minnesota’s economy.

We sat down with Carl for a quick interview

What is the best thing about St. Paul?

“Dayton’s Bluff is like one big community. We love the atmosphere and the friendliness of everyone here. And, they have the best ethnic food around. They have everything you could imagine.”

What has been the most memorable event in your business?

“That would be the week of March 15, 2020. That was at the height of COVID. We live about 20 minutes from where the unfortunate incident happened to George Floyd. It was chaotic. It was a hard time for our business but we were about to help a lot of families during those trying times. We helped provide hot meals for our community and contributed what we could to the food distribution centers.”

Do you have any hobbies?

“I enjoy cycling with my local group, I’ve cycled over 300 miles. I also enjoy traveling, watching movies, and reading.”

If you could share one piece of advice to the readers when choosing a grocery store, what would it be?

“Shop local to help keep your community businesses funded and their doors open. Most brick and mortar businesses rely on their local community to operate.”

Before ending our interview, Carl told me that he is planning a workforce course development program which will begin in January 2023. This will be an in-person event and an opportunity for a paid intern position. If you are interested, contact Carl for more details and to find out how to take part.

For those of you who are looking for affordable food options in the St. Paul’s area, Storehouse Grocers should be your first stop! At Storehouse Grocers & Coffee, first-time shoppers get a 20% discount and students get a 10% discount.

Call Carl at 612-548-1073 or visit www.storehousegrocers.com