It's a "food desert" because they get ripped off so bad by the shoplifters. Next to the Rockpile, a black businessman opened up a supermarket. He called it FIGMOS (Finally I Got My Own Supermarket). He closed up two years later. When asked why he closed up when there were no markets around, he said :"the SOBs stole so much, I couldn't stay in business".
My brother-in-law worked for Sysco. He delivered to the Family Dollar store on (I believe) William Street. The manager had to stand with a gun next to the truck. He told my BIL that the stuff would get stolen as it went down the rollers into the store.