Month: October 2024

Market on Melrose to Open November 13, Bringing Fresh Food to Roanoke Food Desert

New grocery store marks first phase of Melrose Plaza community hub

Roanoke, Va. (October 21, 2024) – Market on Melrose, a new grocery store aimed at addressing food insecurity in Northwest Roanoke’s food desert, will celebrate its grand opening on Wednesday, November 13, 2024. The store is the first service to open in Melrose Plaza, a transformational community hub designed to provide resources to eliminate poverty.

“We are excited to bring this resource to our community,” said Amanda Taylor-Napier, director of business services. “As Melrose Plaza seeks to provide resources to eliminate poverty, it only makes sense to first address food insecurity.”

The 15,000-square-foot Market on Melrose will offer a wide variety of fresh produce, meats, dairy products and pantry staples, with an emphasis on nutritious and affordable options.

Grand Opening events will begin with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. on November 13. “The ribbon cutting will be a chance for us to honor the local community partnerships that helped make this project a reality,” said President and CEO Richmond Vincent. “We can’t wait to open the doors and have the community experience this tremendous resource.”

Festivities will continue on Saturday, November 16, when the store will host a Family Fun Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. featuring free activities for kids and adults.

“We can’t wait to meet our customers and look forward to helping them as they come to the Market to get household staples that they need,” said Tina Lafone, grocery store manager. “Our team is dedicated to exceptional customer service, and we want everyone to feel welcomed when they walk in the doors.”

Market on Melrose is the first phase of the larger Melrose Plaza project. The Melrose Plaza lobby is expected to open in the spring, followed closely by the Excel Center – the first adult high school in Virginia. Future phases will include the opening of Wellness on Melrose and the Bank of Botetourt branch.

Melrose Plaza to Honor Influential Roanokers

Input invited on honorees for History Wall

Roanoke, Va. (Oct. 1, 2024)—Melrose Plaza seeks to honor historical figures, people, places, and landmarks integral to Northwest Roanoke’s history through a history wall that will be a key feature at the community hub. Locals are asked to provide their input on the current list of Melrose Plaza History Wall nominees.

The History Wall is one way that Melrose Plaza seeks to reflect the local community by forever memorializing Roanoke’s history makers. Current nominees include Roanoke’s civil rights leaders, artists, scientists, community activists, and philanthropists, such as Dr. John B. Claytor, Dr. Beth Brown, William Dabney, Henrietta Lacks, Noel C. Taylor, Oliver White Hill and more.

The installation is planned to open in the Spring of 2025, after the opening of the Market on Melrose in November. This History Wall will be an anchor in the center of the Plaza. A Living Legends exhibit and a Hidden in Plain Site virtual reality exhibit will also be featured at Melrose Plaza. Combined, these features aim to tell the story of history-makers and overlooked locations that represent the expansive local history in Roanoke.

Residents can provide feedback on current nominees or submit names for consideration by visiting melroseplazaroanoke.com. Feedback will be accepted until November 1, 2024.

For more information, visit melroseplazaroanoke.com/history-wall.