Update – 6/18/25: Due to unforeseen circumstances, the grand opening of the grocery store in Oakbrook Homes, scheduled for Monday, June 23rd at 10am – has been postponed. A new date was not provided.
Original post: The Reading Housing Authority (RHA) has announced the upcoming grand opening of a new grocery store within Oakbrook Homes, aimed at increasing access to fresh and affordable food for residents of Reading’s largest public housing community.
The store, El Encanto Grocery, will officially open its doors on Monday, June 23 at 10 a.m. at 1001 Scott Street, inside the recently opened Neighborhood Resource Center. The addition marks a milestone in RHA’s ongoing efforts to address food insecurity and provide walkable access to fresh produce and essential household items.
RHA is partnering with local entrepreneur Dilania Herrera, who will expand her existing downtown Reading grocery business into Oakbrook. Herrera, who also operates a bakery serving customers across three states from her flagship location on Oley Street, will bring a wide variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, and Latin American baked goods to the new location.
“El Encanto Grocery and Reading Housing Authority look forward to serving Oakbrook Homes and the City of Reading for years to come,” the agency said in a statement, noting the community’s long-standing designation as a “food desert.”
In addition to the grocery store, the Oakbrook Neighborhood Resource Center — which opened earlier this month — will continue expanding its services in the coming weeks. Planned programming includes workforce development, English-language classes, higher education access, social service partnerships, and activities for youth and older adults. The center recently hosted its first job fair to recruit staff for an on-site childcare center, expected to open later this summer.
“The opening of our first on-site grocery store could not be timelier,” said RHA President & CEO Stacey Keppen. “The challenges associated with obtaining food that is both healthy and affordable touches everyone.”
Established in 1939, Reading Housing Authority has evolved from a provider of safe and affordable housing into a service-oriented agency supporting economic self-sufficiency and community engagement among residents. A grand opening event for the full Center for Community Services is scheduled for August.