St. Paul grocer sees health and wealth in good food

Black-owned grocery stores have historically faced steep challenges in Minnesota, but Pastor Carl Johnson is changing the narrative. In 2019, his passion for food and community led him to open Storehouse Grocer & Coffee, making him the only Black grocer on St. Paul’s East Side.

A transplant from the East Coast, Johnson modeled his store more like a bodega than a typical Midwest supermarket. At just 2,200 square feet, a space often associated with corner stores, Storehouse Grocer & Coffee supports frequent, budget-friendly shopping trips rather than large, monthly hauls.

Located at 781 7th St. E., the store is accessible via bus line and offers far more than the usual convenience store fare. In addition to staples like fruits, vegetables and pasta, the store carries culturally diverse items such as fufu, sesame oil, Korean barbecue sauce, and chickpeas. While currently open Tuesday through Saturday, Johnson said they plan to expand hours to stay open until 9 p.m.

He considers himself a food justice activist. “People can’t live free unless they have good food,” Johnson said. 

“If you’re eating bad food every day, you’re going to feel depressed. You’re going to have some mental health issues. You’re going to feel inadequate.”

Johnson’s understanding of the connection between food and well-being began at home. Raised in an intergenerational household, he credits his mother with cultivating his love of food. She frequently introduced her children to different cuisines, both through her cooking and by taking them to restaurants with her friends.

“When we were growing up, that was good food,” Johnson said. “We didn’t eat hamburgers and hot dogs.” Instead, he recalled dishes like salmon patties and crawfish étouffée, prepared for special occasions.

Later, while attending Bible college, Johnson met a chef who introduced him to nine different ways to prepare potatoes, sparking his frustration with bland institutional meals.

“Sometimes kids get food at school, and it’s just bad,” he said. “I’ve never met any human being who got bad food and had a good attitude. And I don’t know why we wouldn’t expect kids to have behavior issues if they get bad food all day long.”

Guided by lessons from his mother and grandmother, Johnson already knew how to turn pantry basics into satisfying meals, but he expanded that knowledge by enrolling in culinary school.

Despite his accomplishments, Johnson hesitated to apply for the Bush Fellowship, believing it was only for policy-focused changemakers. “I didn’t see anybody who was a pastor doing grassroots work,” he said. “I just felt it was for people who wanted to get into policy. One of my mantras is, ‘People over policy.’”

Encouraged by a former fellow, he applied once and was denied. On his second attempt, a more intentional and focused application led to success. Through the Bush Fellowship, Johnson plans to make a spiritual and ancestral pilgrimage to Africa, deepening his connection to culture and identity.

“The pilgrimage to me is about self-discovery, everything that I’m doing as a pastor, as a person, as a husband, as a father, to discover my culture.” 

Johnson sees the local food industry evolving and believes more culturally responsive options are vital. “I hope we will be able to disrupt the food chain that’s happening in the Twin Cities for all the families, individuals and organizations that work with food, so that we can see more equitable access to culturally relevant foods,” he said.

Storehouse Grocer & Coffee operates as a worker-owned business, offering each employee the option to become a co-owner. Staff members are paid $19 an hour, meeting the St. Paul living wage of approximately $40,000 per year.

“To work in a micro grocery store, I don’t think that’s a bad gig,” he said. Johnson believes the business model should be celebrated not just in Black communities, but by anyone who has been excluded from traditional economic pathways.

“Not everyone sees what the food industry can be for their lives,” he said. He also sees an opportunity for economic empowerment, pointing to the scale of the industries involved. “Minnesota’s food industry is worth $50 billion, and coffee is another $25 billion,” he said. “We own 9% of the GDP just in food sales. 

“There is wealth in our food, and we need to make sure that we have it.” 

Carl Johnson is a 2025 Bush Fellow. For more information, visit www.bushfoundation.org/2025-bush-fellows/. 

Vickie Evans-Nash is a contributing writer for the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder. Vickie welcomes reader responses at vnash@spokesman-recorder.com.