Support Local Grocers & Independent Businesses

This is the 28th year for Metro Foodland - Detroit's last black-owned grocery store, which has a Meijers being built across the street from it. We would like to lend support to the family ran grocer and encourage everyone to buy local and support the people of Detroit, thus making a difference for the people here.

As we look into the divestiture of government officials in the resources of the city, small business needs to be recognized as providing a vital role in building a city that works. Providing the ability for small business to thrive is a function of the Department of Planning and Development through Zoning Appeals. Small business deserves a chance. We expect city planners to identifying predatory practices of large corporations to monopolize our attention and crush loyalty from the people.

If we don't stand up for independent business and public services we'll soon find corporations slipping unknown chemicals into our water system as it moves from public utility into privatized corporate entity. Consider the ability then to dumb-down and control the masses dependent upon it. We need to defend the resources of the city - be they social services or independent businesses.

About the President of Metro Foodland

James Hooks, President of Metro Foodland is extremely proud of the fact that he, his family, and his grocery business are "homegrown". James was born, educated and reared in Detroit, Michigan. Growing up on the eastside, he graduated from Southeastern High School. In 1969, James began to work in the retail grocery business as a bagger for Bilo Supermarket. His hard work ethic and performance earned him a promotion to Store Clerk, then to Department Manager. In 1977 , James was selected to enter the Kroger Company's Management Training program. After completion, he managed several different Kroger stores until early 1984, when James was transferred as Store Manager to the Grand River/Fenkell Kroger Supermarket.

During 1984, a tremendous opportunity was presented to James Hooks. Faith, hard work, a commitment to community, personal growth and development, and having Detroit roots paid off…James Hooks was offered a business opportunity to purchase the Grand River supermarket along with another store located in Ferndale, Michigan. Metro Foodland was born as a company. For more than twenty years, African American, independent owner/operator, James Hooks, has had a supermarket located in Detroit, Michigan.  Metro Foodland is a full-service supermarket including the offering of personal services for customers; beer and wine products; a delicatessen and catering services along with full-line groceries that are fresh and top quality. James loves to tell everyone the brand for Metro Foodland is, "we've got what you need"!

James feels the foundation of his entrepreneurial and personal success comes from the teachings from his mother, Ms. Willie B. Hooks, who worked for years at the store. She told James "whatever you do, do your best". This has been the best business advice her son has received. Today when you shop at Metro Foodland you will find a management team and employees led by himself, his wife, Teresa, his brother, two sisters, a niece, friends and other employees, all working as a team in providing customers a full-service supermarket. The team and their homegrown leader want every customer to know there is a special emphasis on providing customers a very clean store, and their business motto is, "we've got what you need".

(The above is excerpted from the Metro Foodland website.)