I first wrote about Whittaker’s here, many years ago. It was a one-off piece for Christmas, one that I never really thought I’d revisit…and then I moved nearby the battered and broken-down grocery store. Within walking distance of a mile or so, this unexpected food oasis in an otherwise dried-up part of town has been a culinary lifesaver numerous times for me since.
Just don’t tell your more well-to-do friends where you got those questionable pork chops.
Since the Coronavirus has caused a run in more popular stores like Walmart and Homeland on items like toilet paper, bottled water and, soon enough, meat, it’s been Whittaker’s that has taken charge, a minority-driven shopping palace that has kept those much-needed items in stock, always at the rock-bottomest—sorry, Crest—of prices.
Thankfully, the innate fear of the impoverished that surround the area has managed to keep out the sickliest lot of Oklahoma City, allowing for the more food-stamped of us to shop with little angst of contracting Covid-19. Whether it be discounted boxes of tilapia endorsed by a football player or pre-made salads with very little brown-leafing for a buck, they’ve been there for those on a diseased budget.