Go inside the new grocery store opening today in a Tulsa food desert

The bright lighting inside Oasis Fresh Market brings out the vivid colors of store’s large produce section.

It also illuminates the possibilities for what owner A.J. Johnson envisions will be a community centerpiece.

“One thing that’s going to be particularly different about this grocery store is that our motto is more than just groceries,” Johnson said. “… Our goal is how can this oasis serve families on a greater scale.”

Named for its location within a food desert, the roughly $5 million Oasis Fresh Market, 1725 N. Peoria Ave., held soft openings most of last week. Grand opening for the 16,500-square-foot store is scheduled Monday morning.

The market will benefit principally low- and moderate-income people, according to guidelines approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. In District 1, where it is housed, 93% of the population has limited access to fresh, affordable and quality food, compared to 19% of other Tulsans, data shows.

Residents in parts of north Tulsa also have life expectancies nearly 11 years shorter than people in parts of south Tulsa.

Johnson wants to change that narrative.

Along with food giveaways, Oasis will introduce data-gathering initiatives that will help people with ailments such as diabetes and hypertension live healthier lives, he said.

“Excellence is one of our core values,” said Johnson, who also heads the Tulsa Dream Center, a faith-based community center in north Tulsa. “It doesn’t matter where you live. Our goal is to be the very best with what we have and to serve this community.

“This being once Black Wall Street, we want to recreate that new normal. How do we recreate many micro-Black Wall Streets to show the community that we’re still on the rise?”

Funding for the market was through the Tulsa Development Authority, the city of Tulsa through HUD’s Community Development Block Grant program, The George Kaiser Family Foundation, the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, and the Zarrow Family Foundation.

The Tulsa Economic Development Corp., headed by Rose Washington, led the push for the store.

“It’s been a long journey,” Washington said. “We’ve had tremendous support from across the community, from city government, our board of directors, philanthropy and the community at large. It’s just been a blessing to collaborate with so many people to make this project come to life.”

Nabholz was construction manager for the building, which was designed by KKT Architects.

“People will appreciate the store,” Washington said. “We have responded to all the wants and needs of the community. We’ve also added some special programming that the store ownership wanted to incorporate into the offering.”