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MLK Save-A-Lot Closing Feb. 16, Plunging South Dallas Deeper into Food Insecurity

DALLAS WEEKLY NEWS — While the loss of local Save-A-Lot stores deals a blow to the community, the MLK store’s poor performance over the last year has already offered the first bitter taste of its absence. South Dallas’ increasingly rampant food insecurity has a direct correlation with various other statistics, such as poor educational performance and poor health. As South Dallas residents have among the lowest median income in the city, food and housing infrastructure will continue to crumble until the city provides greater support.
The post MLK Save-A-Lot Closing Feb. 16, Plunging South Dallas Deeper into Food Insecurity first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 years ago

February 20, 2024

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Who Owns South Dallas?

By Brianna Patt | Dallas Weekly Newspaper

As Moran Foods, LLC. has announced the closure of the Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Save-A-Lot, poorer residents of Dallas are seeing dwindling grocery options in areas with already scarce access to resources. As current city and state politics foster greater economic divides, history shows us the issue will get worse before it gets better.

South Dallas’ food insecurity issue is about to get a lot worse.

In a press release last Monday, Urban Harvest Food Co. and Shekinah Legacy Holdings announced that Moran Foods LLC. has ended talks of a partnership and has decided to close the MLK Save-A-Lot store on Feb. 16. The store has been a community staple for affordable groceries for over two decades, but its operation has been rendered unstable since 2020 when Moran made the decision to transition to a wholesale business model. Employees were reportedly told by Moran Foods that the “landlord wanted them out” despite the business voluntarily leaving the lot.

“The store has never been doing ‘that great,’ but it was an option,” Nicki, a resident of South Dallas said of the closure. “Now you go up the street, things are double, triple the price at Fiesta. Where am I supposed to get food? Closest other stores are in Pleasant Grove.”

Scottie Smith of Shekinah Legacy Holdings was quick to voice his disapproval, stating that previous dealings with Moran Foods suggested there was more time to prove the viability of the store.

“The abrupt announcement of the closure by Moran Foods is a blow to South Dallas,” Smith said in the press release regarding the decision. “For half a year, we were in active negotiations to take over the store’s operations, intending to ensure the area’s sustained access to essential food supplies[…] Their sudden decision to shut down, bypassing a community-inclusive solution, demonstrates a blatant disregard for the wellbeing of South Dallas residents.”

Prior to talks with Smith, Moran Foods had established its standard contract agreement with independent owner, Yellow Banana LLC., a DC-based company focusing on making low-cost groceries accessible in food deserts across the country. As Yellow Banana reportedly did not meet contractual obligations in operating the store, with residents and employees citing extremely low stock of products, Moran Foods terminated the partnership.

Now, despite previous promises of a gradual closure, Moran Foods is shut down grocery operations at the building on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. on Feb. 16.

“I mean, [if the economy] keeps getting worse, then the city is going to have to do something right?” South Dallas Local Darrien says. “People can’t live without food, and one grocery store for this neighborhood isn’t gonna cut it.”

While Yellow Bananas handling of the MLK Save-A-Lot was just another flop on the LLC’s already lackluster record of providing viable options to inner-city residents, the company’s poor management contributed to the location’s mounting economic failures. Now, as the company prepares to close its doors permanently, residents of the neighborhood are now forced to rely on the Fiesta Food Mart of Fair Park as the sole low-cost grocer in the area.

Residents have called for the city to provide greater food options to the area. But as the office of District 7 Councilmember Adam Bazaldua has previously stated, the commission of additional grocers “would be based on the income levels of an area and the viability of the stores.”

Food pantries have similarly become less common in South Dallas, with operations steadily decreasing since 2020.

Like all lower-income Texans, poorer residents living in areas like South Dallas pay a higher percentage of taxes than higher-income Texans. As sales tax has been found as the most regressive tax policy, taking higher percentages of smaller incomes, residents of South Dallas pay proportionally more while having less access to adequate resources.

Food insecurity has been rampant in South Dallas for years, however, the city has not been successful in implementing a significant improvement to options in the area. As we interviewed the City of Dallas last year in covering this issue previously, the city does not consider an area for the commission of grocers if the investment can not be proven to be economically viable. However, efforts have been taken on to make grocery items more accessible further south, closer to Red Bird and Cedar Crest.

South Dallas/Fair Park’s employed population accounts for over 22,000 of the workforce in Dallas. Variably, 35% of workers of the entirety of Southern Dallas County are in the blue collar sector and a separate 28.7% work in an industry working with the public, such as education, health, and social sectors.

Additionally, South Dallas/Fair Park holds a child population of around 8,000, raising concerns of poor diets for students in the area. Adults are also worried about the disillusionment youth of the neighborhood feel about their living standards.

“We have high school students across the street come and ask me for a job,” says Eric Patt, current manager of the store. “As someone in this community, a manager of a business in South Dallas, I try to play a positive role. Now this business is shutting down and it doesn’t do a lot for these kids.”

While the loss of local Save-A-Lot stores deals a blow to the community, the MLK store’s poor performance over the last year has already offered the first bitter taste of its absence. South Dallas’ increasingly rampant food insecurity has a direct correlation with various other statistics, such as poor educational performance and poor health.

As South Dallas residents have among the lowest median income in the city, food and housing infrastructure will continue to crumble until the city provides greater support.

The post MLK Save-A-Lot Closing Feb. 16, Plunging South Dallas Deeper into Food Insecurity first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Here is what you need to know about finding unique white elephant gift ideas that everyone wants to steal

The best white elephant gift ideas are funny enough to get a reaction but useful enough that people actually want to steal them. Look for gifts with a surprise factor, broad appeal, an inside joke, and just enough personality to spark some friendly competition. The wrapping paper comes off, the room goes quiet for half […]

Published

1 month ago

October 4, 2026

Oakland Post

The best white elephant gift ideas are funny enough to get a reaction but useful enough that people actually want to steal them. Look for gifts with a surprise factor, broad appeal, an inside joke, and just enough personality to spark some friendly competition.

The wrapping paper comes off, the room goes quiet for half a second, and suddenly everyone wants the same gift. That is the sweet spot. A great white elephant pick should make people laugh, lean in, and start plotting their next steal before the turn is even over.

Should a White Elephant Gift Be Funny or Useful?

A white elephant gift can be funny or useful, but the strongest choices usually give people a reason to laugh and a reason to keep the item. A practical gift with an odd design, unexpected feature, or playful theme can get a reaction without becoming something the recipient immediately wants to give away.

The right balance depends on the group. Close friends and family members may enjoy a ridiculous gag gift because they already understand one another’s sense of humor.

A workplace exchange, neighborhood party, or mixed-age gathering usually calls for something with broader appeal. In those settings, humor works better when it is built into an item people could still use afterward.

It also helps to think about how quickly the gift will make sense once it is opened. A strangely shaped kitchen tool, oversized mug, quirky desk accessory, or unexpectedly fancy everyday item can create an immediate reaction. Guests understand the joke right away, while the item still has enough practical value to attract a steal.

Pure gag gifts can be harder to pull off. Something that exists only for the punchline may get a big laugh during the reveal and then sit untouched for the rest of the game. If the goal is to bring one of the gifts everyone keeps fighting over, usefulness gives the joke staying power.

Memorable Present Ideas: Creating Inside Joke Gifts

Inside joke gifts can make a white elephant exchange feel much more personal, especially when most of the group shares the same stories. The trick is choosing a reference that people will recognize quickly instead of building the entire joke around something only two guests understand.

You can turn a memorable vacation mishap, office catchphrase, family story, or long-running group joke into the theme of the gift. A personalized comic book can work especially well when it turns familiar people or a ridiculous shared moment into part of the story.

Think carefully about who the joke involves before ordering anything permanent. The gift should make the person feel included in the fun, not singled out for the wrong reason.

Can You Bring Something You Already Own?

Holiday gift exchanges can be a good place to re-gift something you never used, especially if it is unopened and clean.

The following can all work if they still look presentable:

A duplicate kitchen gadget
An untouched game
A decorative item
A sealed gift set
An unopened candle
A new travel accessory

The goal is to give the item a second chance, not use the exchange as an excuse to clear out damaged or unwanted clutter.

Take a close look at the packaging before wrapping it. Faded boxes, missing pieces, visible wear, or anything that looks obviously used can make the gift feel careless.

Wrapping Budget-Friendly Gifts

Wrapping can make gifts more entertaining before anyone even knows what’s inside.

Misdirection works especially well for fun party games. Put a small gift inside a much larger box. Use packaging from an unrelated household item.

Add harmless weight so guests cannot guess what they are holding. The reveal becomes part of the joke without changing the gift itself.

You can also lean into the theme of the exchange. Bright paper, oversized bows, reusable bags, or deliberately over-the-top wrapping can make an ordinary item feel more memorable. If the gift itself is already funny, simple wrapping may work better so the surprise stays hidden until the last second.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Picking Last an Advantage in White Elephant?

Picking last can be an advantage because you get to see almost every gift before making your move. Instead of choosing blindly from the remaining wrapped presents, you can steal something that has already caught your attention if the rules still allow it.

That advantage depends on the house rules. Some games limit how many times a gift can be stolen.

Others lock an item once it reaches a certain number of steals. If the most popular gifts are already unavailable, the final player may have fewer strong options than expected.

The first player can also get another turn at the end in some versions of the game. That rule can balance things out, since the person who started with the least information may get one final chance to steal.

How Do You Plan White Elephant for a Large Group?

For a large white elephant exchange, set a firm spending limit and establish the stealing rules in advance.

Create a clear turn order before the game begins. Drawing numbers as guests arrive can save time once everyone is ready to start.

Keep the number of steals per gift limited so the game does not drag on. It also helps to have one person track which creative holiday presents have been stolen and when they are locked, especially if dozens of people are participating.

Can You Play White Elephant Virtually?

A virtual white elephant exchange can work over a video call, with one person keeping track of the turn order and each steal. Guests can either mail physical gifts ahead of time or use digital gifts that can be delivered once the game ends.

Set the spending limit and stealing rules before everyone joins. It also helps to decide how gifts will be revealed and who is responsible for sending each one afterward so the exchange does not become confusing.