Community planning for fresh food store in North Hobart restaurant strip

THE North Hobart community is banding together to open a fresh food grocer in memory of murdered shopkeeper Voula Delios.

The Greek community is coming together to cook for a dinner to announce plans that Voula Delios's former grocery store will be converted into a food collective in North Hobart. Preparing the food are from left, Sasa Psangaris, Pitsa Dritas and Diamando Venetsanakos. Picture: CHRIS KIDD

THE North Hobart community is banding together to open a social enterprise fresh food grocer in memory of shopkeeper Voula Delios.

In July last year, Mrs Delios was stabbed to death in the A and B Food Store she had run for three decades on the North Hobart restaurant strip.

Locals are hoping to reopen the grocer in her honour and a North Hobart traders association has been established.

Resident Helen Burnet said the Delios family wanted to see a grocer return to the store rather than another restaurant.

“Ironically we have a fresh food desert in the middle of a restaurant strip,” she said.

Voula Delios and her son Michael in the A and B Food Store in North Hobart.

Ms Burnet said $30,000 had already been pledged towards opening up a social enterprise grocer at the site, but significantly more money would be needed to make it viable.

MORE: Community mourns death of Voula Delios

MORE: North Hobart shopkeepers try to move on

“We would have some paid staff and volunteers and we’d also be looking at grants as a training enterprise in food handling and retail skills,” she said.

“We want to provide low cost fruit and veg where possible, but it will also need to be a viable business, we don’t want to rely on grants every step of the way.”

Fundraising efforts to bring the vision to life kick off on Thursday night with a Mediterranean-inspired dinner at the Swan St Uniting Church from 6.30pm.

Tickets are $50 from eventbrite.com.