>> ERIC: MANY RESIDENTS OF NORTH MINNEAPOLIS HAVE BEEN SURPRISED - AND ANGERED - BY NEWS THAT BOTH ALDI AND WALGREENS WILL SHUT THEIR DOORS PERMANENTLY BY THE END OF THE MONTH.

ACCESS TO GROCERIES AND MEDICATIONS COULD BECOME A CHALLENGE FOR MANY, ESPECIALLY THOSE WITHOUT EASY ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION.

HERE TO TALK MORE ABOUT WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE COMMUNITY, CONSUMER REPORTER GITA SITARAMIAH, WHO'S BEEN COVERING THIS FOR THE "STAR TRIBUNE."

I KICKED YOUR LAST NAME, TELL ME THE RIGHT PRONUNCIATION.

>> SITARAMIAH.

PRETTY GOOD.

>> Eric: HOW DID IT GET SPRUNG ON THE COMMUNITY?

>> WELL, ALDI, A SIGN WENT UP ON THE WEEK BEFORE, BEFORE THE CLOSING, LAST SUNDAY, IT WAS A REAL SHOCK FOR A LOT OF THE NEIGHBORS WHO WALKED OR BUSSED TO GET THERE.

IT'S A COMMUNITY WHERE MOST PEOPLE RELY ON TRANSIT OR JUST THEIR FEET TO LUG THEIR GROCERIES HOME.

SO IT WAS A BIG SHOCK.

AND FOR WALGREENS, I THINK IT WAS A SIMILAR SORT OF SITUATION.

ANNOUNCEMENT WAS RECENT THAT THEY WILL BE CLOSING SOON.

>> Cathy: WHAT ARE THE REASONS?

WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?

WAS IT A BUSINESS REASON?

WAS IT SOMETHING ELSE THAT HAPPENED?

>> THERE'S DIFFERING REASONS AND IT DEPENDS ON THE STRATEGY OF THE ETAILER.

BUT, YOU KNOW, GENERALLY RETAILERS WHO DON'T MAKE A PROFIT AT A LOCATION CLOSE THOSE STORES.

AND IN THE CASE OF ALDI, WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THEY'VE SAID THAT THE LOCATION WAS, YOU KNOW, THE LEASE WAS ABOUT TO BE UP AND THE STORE WASN'T BIG ENOUGH TO CARRY THE CURRENT LARGER ASSORTMENT THAT THEY'RE NOW PROVIDING.

SO THAT'S WHY THEY LEFT.

AND ALDI IS OTHERWISE IN GROWTH MODE.

I MEAN, THEY WILL CLOSE LESS PROFITABLE LOCATIONS OR PLACES WHERE THEY DON'T SEE GROWTH, BUT THEY RE IN GROWTH MODE OVERALL.

WALGREENS IS A DIFFERENT STORY.

WALGREENS HAS BEEN CLOSING LOCATIONS NATIONWIDE.

AND SO THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THAT WENT.

>> Eric: PRETTY TOUGH NEIGHBORHOOD, THOUGH, FOR WALGREENS WITH LIQUOR STORE AND A GAS STATION THAT HAVE BEEN PROBLEMATIC AREAS.

>> YEAH, DEFINITELY.

AND THERE'S A LOT OF SPECULATION THAT CRIME IS RELATED.

THE RETAILERS ARE OBVIOUSLY NOT SHARING THAT.

NEARBY THERE'S CUB NORTH SIDE AND CUB FOODS CEO HAS SAID THAT -- CUB WILL REMAIN COMMITTED TO STAYING ON HE NORTH SIDE BECAUSE IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

SO THAT'S NOW THE ONLY PHARMACY SERVING AREA.

>> athy: I JUST WAS GOING TO ASK, WHAT KIND OF HOLES DOES IT LEAVE IN THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE THE ALGREENS GONE AND THE ALDI?

>> THERE'S A BIG HOLE FOR FRESH PRODUCE, FOR INSTANCE, AND FOR FAMILIES WHO WANT TO JUST PICK UP GROCERIES FOR THE WEEK.

YOU KNOW, BREAD, MILK, EGGS.

THERE'S TWO FULL-SERVICE GROCERIES LEFT, THAT'S NORTH MARKET, WHICH IS A NONPROFIT, SOCIAL ENTERPRISE GROCER, THERE'S ALSO THE CUB, AS I MENTIONED.

AND THEN THERE'S SOME OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD MARKETS.

I HEAR THERE'S A GREAT ASIAN MARKET THAT HAS FRESH PRODUCE.

BUT IT'S NOT EASY FOR PEOPLE TO GET TO THESE LOCATIONS.

>> Eric: THESE ARE PROFIT-MAKING ORGANIZATIONS, THESE AREN'T TWO NONPROFITS, I WONDER IF THERE'S A WAY FOR THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT, STATE, TO STEP IN AND DO SOMETHING OR IS T JUST BEYOND THEIR ABILITY TO DO SOMETHING?

>> WELL, NORTH MARKET IS ACTUALLY A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE VENTURE.

IT WAS STARTED BY PILLSBURY UNITED COMMUNITIES ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO.

THEY RAISED $6 MILLION, INCLUDING $2 MILLION OF STATE FUNDING.

TODAY THE STORE OPERATES ON REVENUE, 10 TO 20% OF THE OPERATING BUDGET IS DONOR FUNDING AND PROVIDES SERVICES LIKE THEIR PROMOTIONS LIKE THEIR HALF OFF PRODUCE ON WEDNESDAYS.

SO THAT IS A REALLY INTERESTING EXAMPLE OF AN ALTERNATIVE.

>> Cathy: IS THERE A DOMINO EFFECT HERE?

IF THESE BUSINESSES FALL, DO OTHERS FOLLOW SUIT?

>> EVERYONE IS WONDERING THAT.

IS THIS A COINCIDENCE?

I MEAN, THE TIMING IS TERRIBLE.

THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT T. >> Eric: IS THERE WOULD ALDI'S OR WALGREENS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING ELSE, ANOTHER LOCATION OR BRING ANOTHER STORE IN?

>> THERE'S HOPE.

BUT, I MEAN, I WILL SAY THAT THE LANDLORD OF THE LOCATION WHERE THE ALDI IS IS LOOKING FOR ANOTHER GROCER.

THE LOCATION IS READY FOR A GROCER.

THAT'S WHAT IT'S BEEN DOING.

I DON'T KNOW IF WILL BE A WALGREENS OR ALDI THAT'S