North Bay pastor of Faith Chapel, Byron Jones, is bringing relief to families on a fixed income by providing affordable groceries.
Tucked away behind a consignment shop owned by Jones’ wife, Lola, you can find their co-owned grocery store, Deals North Bay.
The grocery store is stocked with frozen food, meats, vegetables, cheeses, condiments, canned goods, as well as cleaning products and everything in between.
“Even if it only saves $50 a week, that goes a long way for someone who is on a fixed income,” said Mr. Jones.
The pastor says each week he purchases over-stocked grocery items from larger chain stores and sells them at 60% of the cost.
Mrs. Jones says before they decided to open the grocery store, she would often have customers enter her consignment shop and share stories of their struggles with money, some even considering selling off all their possessions.
“This is a gap that really needs help,” said Mrs. Jones.
She also states “just because you are of lower income and you can’t afford to shop at place A, B or C, doesn’t mean that you’re any less of a person.”
The initiative not only to helps people in North Bay, it also to provides care to those in Haiti.
“I have an orphanage with 60 kids. I have a school with 300 kids. I build homes for the poor and I build clinics,” said Mr. Jones.
The North Bay pastor further explains that nearly every dollar spent in North Bay goes to his mission in Haiti. The only money he keeps is what is needed to cover the cost of rent for his store.
The couple is now looking at opening a second location in Sturgeon Falls in September.
