Historic local grocery permanently closed; replaced by popular meat market

“So many memories. Thanks for 40 years,” said Marty Little in a statement on social media.

Marty and his brother Mike have worked at, then owned, the Little’s Village IGA grocery store for decades. It’s located near German Village, Southern Orchards, and Schumacher Place at 704 Parsons Ave. The grocery store originally opened in 1969, and the Littles have owned it since 1994.

This IGA was a haven for the South side community – friendly, clean, and always fully stocked. Customers loved that they had hard-to-find meat, such as the famous Aunt Bessie’s Hand-Cleaned Chitterlings.

Many IGA customers took to social media to express their disappointment of IGA closing, but also that they’re excited for Mike and Marty’s retirement. “I am saddened they have closed this IGA location. I have no complaints. The staff was always friendly and helpful. I wish the owners well. Thanks for being a neighborhood favorite,” said a recent Yelp comment.

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“It was time to start a new chapter of life,” said the Littles on Facebook. “We were just worn out but the best 40 years two brothers could ever ask for.”

The great news is that there’s already a replacement! The popular Hispanic-owned grocery store, called Toro Meat Market, opened their second location in the former IGA, renovating the space with fresh new floors, displays, and paint. While it’s currently open, the owner of the store reminded 614Now that it’s still in the soft opening phase. There will soon be more butchered meat options and an entire new produce build-out. Currently, you’ll find fresh produce, canned goods, pastas, and pantry items, as well as a large supply of freshly butchered meats.

CEO, Fernando Alcauter, said, “We’re bringing the heart and soul to Parsons Ave,. This is more than a store; it’s a place where every product tells a story and every visit creates a memory. Get ready to be part of our journey!”

Toro Meat Market on Parsons Ave. is open Monday through Sunday, 9-7pm. They also have another location at 1405 E Dublin Granville Rd.

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