The Oberlin IGA has been closed for an extended period of time. The grocery store’s parking lot is mostly unplowed and a handwritten note reading “closed until next week” has been on the front door since December.

The closure follows months of struggles for IGA. Last summer, students and community members noticed the shelves in the store were only partially stocked. IGA’s owner Gurmukh Singh told the Review in November that the lack of products was due to issues with their vendors. He said multiple of their wholesalers had gone out of business and finding a replacement had been difficult (“IGA Struggles to Stock Shelves Due to Difficulties with Wholesalers,” The Oberlin Review, Nov. 14, 2025). 

“It’s costing us money to keep it open like this because we don’t have a whole lot of product in here to sell,” Singh said at the time. “But the reason that I’m keeping it open like this is because I believe in it, and I want to bring it back. It would have been so much easier and so much cheaper to shut the doors.” 

A December inspection report from Lorain County Public Health found the interior of the store to be around 55 degrees Fahrenheit, according to reporting from The Chronicle-Telegram. The article also reported that IGA’s permit to sell alcohol had expired in October and that the water and electricity were at risk of being turned off. Additionally, it reiterated concerns from Lorain County General Health District Board Member and Assistant Director of Campus Safety Tyrone Wicks that IGA employees were not being paid. 

Singh denied that workers were not being compensated and told the Chronicle that he was trying to “regroup” and open the store again. Multiple attempts by the Review this week to reach Singh at his Cincinnati store were unsuccessful. 

When reached by the Review for comment, Wicks said he had no new updates on the health department’s investigation or the store’s current status.

“Our department remains fully prepared and willing to assist the business owner with technical guidance, health inspections, or navigating food safety regulations to ensure a smooth and safe reopening,” he wrote in an email to the Review. “We are committed to supporting local businesses that provide fresh produce and healthy options.” 

IGA is the only grocery store within walking distance of much of Oberlin. Wicks and City Council President Eboni Johnson, OC ’97, expressed concerns that its closure has impacts on the accessibility of fresh food in the City.

“As a public health official, my interest in this matter stems from the direct correlation between local food access and community well-being,” Wicks wrote. “As a native Oberlin resident, I view the IGA not just as a retail space, but as an important piece of the grocery infrastructure. The ongoing closure of a walkable grocery store can lead to increased food insecurity and a reliance on less nutritious, processed options from convenience stores.”

He said he hopes that a cooperative-owned grocery store might be able to use the space. 

Johnson similarly expressed her concerns that IGA’s closure could lead to decreased accessibility of fresh food.

“Not having a full-service grocery store in town creates more than a mere inconvenience for residents,” Johnson wrote in an email to the Review. “The City’s E-Bus route stops at Aldi, Walmart, and Drug Mart, but I know some people could walk or bike to IGA. I imagine this is particularly challenging for them since those other stores are not easily walkable.”

College students are also impacted by the closure of IGA. Students on the Cardinal meal plans cook most of their own meals and must travel off campus to get groceries. College fourth-year Leah Burdette said though she did not shop at IGA when it was open because of the high prices, she still feels impacted by the lack of grocery options within walking distance. Since she does not have a car, she has to rely on friends with vehicles to get to nearby stores, requiring her to plan far in advance.

“It’s annoying sometimes but it’s worked so far,” Burdette said. “There’s only been one time that I’ve almost ran out of food.”

College fourth-year Natalie Spicka said basic goods including snacks, coffee, and toilet paper have been more difficult to get since IGA closed.

“I feel like IGA did serve a real purpose as a grocery store that was walkable,” Spicka said.