Curbing crime: Local grocery seeks to do its part by hiring young people

Joshua Williams, Mississippi Clarion Ledger
·2 min read

Bobby Johnson has a challenge for his fellow Jackson business owners. He wants each business to invest in the Capital City by hiring young people. That, he says, will could curb crime problems.

"Here at Trotter's Market, we believe that the youth are the future of the Jackson community," said the 50-year-old Johnson, owner of Trotter's Market in Northeast Jackson.

Trotter's opened in 2021 and has become a pivotal establishment in the community through youth engagement, quality customer service, reasonable prices on grocery items and Trotter's Treats, which are homemade.

Johnson said his mission is to invest in the youth by providing jobs, workforce training and basic life skills to those who may be less fortunate.

Prior to opening Trotter's, Johnson worked as a chef for Sugar Magnolia Takery in Flowood for 11 years and opened a previous business, Mackenzie's Eatery on Terry Road Jackson for a year.

Trotter's Market co-owner Bobby Johnson talks about what an asset teen employees have been for the Jackson business. "(They) bring a newness, a freshness every time they walk in the store. They bring that energy, and you go to try to keep up."
Trotter's Market co-owner Bobby Johnson talks about what an asset teen employees have been for the Jackson business. "(They) bring a newness, a freshness every time they walk in the store. They bring that energy, and you go to try to keep up."

"I am challenging all of the business in the city of Jackson to come together to hire the youth," Johnson said. "I was inspired to start this initiative for the youth in Jackson due to the few recreational facilities in the area for the youth to indulge in. Our city is young, and we must invest more time and due diligence into the youth."

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Johnson, who was raised in Jackson, said the city must protect, produce and retain the youth. The business currently has 12 employees and counting. Five of those employees are young.

"We can't wait for a big handout from outside entities to help us with our youth," Johnson said. "Our youth is highly talented. With the help of city officials, I believe we have what it takes to improve this city, which could ... lead to a shortage in youthful crimes."

Generations merge into one team at Trotter’s Market in Jackson, as teen Nia Vaughan, 18, left, and Robbie Battistelli, 61, right, both of Jackson, work on restocking items. Vaughan has worked at the market for a year and Battistelli has been there a few months longer. “I love it,” Battistelli said. “I was in the car business for 30 years and I just got tired of it.”

To help in collective efforts, wife and co-owner of the market Teresa Johnson said giving the youth a place to be transparent to discuss life challenges, receive mentorship and employment means the world.

"My experience working a Trotter's thus far has been amazing," she said. "Meeting people locally and out of town is a true joy. Before helping establish Trotter's, I was a bit shy, but since then, I've grown open and outgoing."

Teresa Johnson said that over time, she has become a motherly figure to the younger employees at the market.

"I have respectfully become a mentor and mother figure to the younger kids here," she said. "It takes a village to raise a kid, and we have built that village here at Trotters."

For more information, visit Trotter's Market on Facebook.

If you go:

Where: 5009 Parkway Dr., Jackson, MS

When: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Trotter's Market hires young people to help solve Jackson crime problem