Neighbor’s House Grocery in downtown Fort Worth had a funny thing to brag about back in March when COVID-19 put everyone on lockdown and set buyers in a frenzy, emptying supermarket shelves of disinfectants, meats, and perhaps the most prized possession of all — toilet paper.
Meanwhile, Neighbor’s House had plenty.
“[Customers] were coming in and discovering us as a grocery store, so we gained a lot of new customers even though the pandemic was going on,” owner Kyle Cowan says. “Our safety protocols, the size of our store, the comfortability of our staff — people felt a little more at home with us, so it was a good opportunity.”
That’s the benefit of a local — not big box — grocery store, Cowan says. Unique, often locally made items; personal relationships with staff; and if you’re at Neighbor’s House, a chance to pet Cowan’s service dog and store mascot, Houston.
“I don’t think you see that personal tie in a big-box store,” he says. “Whereas people have a little more personal investment in this store because it’s their store downtown.”
Granted, downtown Fort Worth hasn’t had a great track record of successful urban grocery concepts, having lost previous iterations like Oliver’s Fine Foods and In the Sack within the past three years.
Neighbor’s House opened last October at 500 W. Seventh St. in the building known as First on 7th. The store continues to keep kicking through COVID-19, but apart from carrying items that may not be as readily available at a supermarket, Cowan believes Neighbor’s House’s dual identity as a grocery store and a restaurant — a “groceraunt,” as he likes to call it — sets his establishment apart. Customers can drop by for everyday needs and also pick up a sandwich or customized mac and cheese.
Cowan also pays attention to customer habits and feedback, intentionally carrying certain items per a customer’s request. Neighbor’s House carries about 4,200 items total, and Cowan says staying in stock is important.
“The folks that are living downtown, a lot of them have adapted to the European model of shopping where they come multiple times in a week, versus a big-box store where they get a $300 basket of groceries and don’t come back till the next Sunday,” he says. “We’ve made a lot of friends with our customers — we know them coming in Monday, Wednesday, Friday. If we don’t see them, we know to check on them, so it’s become a cornerstone here in the community.”
‘Groceraunt’ List
What to Order, According to Owner Kyle Cowan
Tejas street tacos
Gourmet grilled cheese
Mac and cheese bar
Fried catfish and shrimp