Alison Cross

Alison Cross is the co-founder of Boxcar Grocer, a corner store that bridged the divide between local farmers and conscious consumers. Alongside her brother Alphonzo Cross, they used a design-centered approach to address food insecurity in urban areas with a focus on social entrepreneurship. The store launched in November 2011 in downtown Atlanta. Since closing the store in 2015, Alison has focused on development within the Castleberry Hill community to help build a more sustainable Atlanta. A history of working with companies such as TBWA\Chiat Day, The San Francisco Foundation, U.C. Berkeley, and Feldman Architecture eventually led her to focus on food justice. Alison holds a B.A. in architecture from Barnard College (Columbia University) and continues to be inspired by design, film, and literature. She participated in the Spelman College exchange program and also studied film at the Academy of Art College in San Francisco.