Venice, Illinois – A town once emblematic of economic decline is experiencing a resurgence thanks to a combination of state funding and private investment, bringing a new school and, crucially, a grocery store to a community long underserved. The developments signal a potential model for revitalizing small towns across Illinois and beyond.
For years, Venice, located just across the Mississippi River from St. louis, faced a dwindling infrastructure and limited opportunities. The lack of a grocery store forced residents to travel notable distances for basic necessities. Now, a $2.4 million state grant from the Illinois Grocery Initiative is fueling the construction of a new grocery store, set to begin next month, alongside a medical clinic and affordable housing. A new school has already been completed, offering a beacon of hope for families.
“There are no handouts here,” illinois Deputy Gov.Andy Manar emphasized. “This starts at the root of people who want to change thier community, when you have that level of investment that we see here in Venice, that’s the bedrock for success.”
Former college basketball referee Michael Hightower is spearheading the effort, personally investing $3.5 million in the grocery store and managing it after leasing the building from the town.Hightower, a Venice native, sees the projects as a way to give back. “This country kid who never thought, first of all, I’d get an education, to go as high as a doctorate in education… But my mom always taught us, you don’t get there by yourself,” he said.
The revitalization is already impacting residents like Alexis Williams,a lifelong Venice resident who enrolled her 5-year-old daughter,Navie,in the town’s new school. “I’m hoping that Venice grows and that she doesn’t ever have to feel like she has to move away from home to have a better prospect in life,” williams said.
Manar views Venice as a pilot program for other small towns facing similar challenges, noting that the need for basic services like grocery stores transcends political divides. “There’s no political label you put on a community that has lost a grocery store,” he added.
