Save the Roselawn Save A Lot

Update as of 7/22/26:

There’s welcome news in Roselawn: the neighborhood’s Save A Lot will remain open! Locally owned by David Pearson since 2011, the store is the closest grocery option for many residents of Roselawn, Golf Manor, Bond Hill, and Amberley Village. Earlier this year, Pearson shared that he was ready to retire and had been unable to find a buyer, raising serious concerns that the neighborhood could once again become a food desert.

Since then, community members, city leaders, and advocates have rallied around the issue—including Green Umbrella’s Food Policy Council, which helped amplify community concerns and elevate the importance of keeping a grocery store in the neighborhood. While final details have not yet been made public, city leaders, Pearson, and Save A Lot Corporate are now working toward a solution to keep this critical community resource in place.

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The last grocery store in Roselawn is at serious risk of closing. The current owner is retiring in June of 2026; because they were unable to find a buyer, the Save A Lot on E Seymour in Roselawn will close. 

This Save A Lot is the only grocery store for not only Roselawn, but also the neighborhoods of Golf Manor, Bond Hill, and Amberley Village. If it closes, 20,000 more people in Cincinnati will live in a food desert.

This grocery serves a large portion of the elderly and disabled community members in Roselawn. Additionally, nearly 42% of this store’s sales are through food assistance programs, such as SNAP. Saving this store serves the most vulnerable community members in Roselawn and surrounding neighborhoods. 

The City of Cincinnati, in partnership with corporate Save A Lot, can collaborate to prevent this Save A Lot franchise from closing (or a third party can purchase it). The stories below are from residents and visitors to Roselawn who need and value the Save A Lot’s existence in the neighborhood. 

Submit Your Own Story

Share your own story by filling out the form here or calling and leaving a message with Green Umbrella at 513-541-1538. 

Spread the Word

Share this blog with your networks! You can also print copies of the Save A Lot flyer at the bottom of this blog to put around Roselawn, Bond Hill, Golf Manor, and Amberley Village to drum up awareness and support. (A great resource: the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library offers a limited amount of free printing every day)

Residents Respond

“It’s so convenient for our community to have access to healthy food for our families, especially our kids. A lot of residents don’t have vehicles to shop at other stores. We need it for our elderly and disabled and citizens.” –C

“When Kroger’s moved out of the neighborhood, Save A Lot was the neighborhood’s saving grace. There are 3 senior buildings in close proximity to the store. They need Save A Lot.” –A

“I believe that the community of Roselawn deserves access to food without having to travel across town. Corner stores are not viable options for community members to purchase their needs of fresh fruits, vegetables, produce, or anything else they need. It is my belief that if this door closes community members would be left without a reliable source for their everyday needs.” –L

“I am a new resident to Roselawn and do not want my neighborhood to have a lack of fresh food options. Recent City efforts have been working to improve the life of the residents of Roselawn. A food desert means a negative impact and a roll back of positive efforts for this neighborhood.” –S

“Closure of the Roselawn Save a Lot would create a food desert in this community. This is detrimental to the people of Roselawn and surrounding neighborhoods – food deserts are harmful; they restrict physical & financial access to fresh and nutritious food. This lack of access limits dietary choices, trapping lower-income or marginalized communities in cycles of chronic disease, high financial stress, and systemic inequality.” –M

“Please save the Save A Lot in Roselawn so the elderly and all can continue to shop there because there is no other grocery store that offers the services that Save A lot has.” –J

I am a 50-plus year resident of Bond Hill. Kroger was here when I moved in, they left. We’ve had Save A Lot for a while in Roselawn and we need to keep it. –N

More Information & Resources

• Food Policy Council Manager Rosa Baker’s Cincinnati Enquirer Op Ed
• Roselawn Save-A-Lot faces possible closure as residents urge city leaders for help
• Food Deserts: the Food Empowerment Project