NEW GROCERY STORE KICKS OFF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLANS FOR SOUTH SHORE
New Grocery Store Kicks Off Economic Development Plans for South Shore
BY WENDELL HUTSON, Contributing Writer
The latest sign that economic development is on the horizon in South Shore came last week with the grand opening of Local Market, a full-service grocery store, which anchors the Jeffery Plaza Shopping Center.
But there are other plans for the area beyond a new grocery store, something not seen in South Shore since Dominick’s closed its store in December 2013.
“This is just the beginning, so stay tuned,” said Ald. Leslie Hairston (5th), whose ward includes South Shore. “It’s been a long road getting to this point, but now we are here and plan to move forward in rebuilding South Shore’s local economy and making it an even greater community.”
Local Market by Shop & Save is the latest store opened by the grocery store chain, which also operates two Chicago stores at 5829 S. Archer Ave. and 6312 N. Nagle Ave. as well as a store in Downers Grove, Bridgeview, Des Plaines, and Niles where it is headquartered. The new store offers a wine bar, outdoor patio, a buffet for meals to go, and a community room available for public use.
And unlike Dominick’s, which leased its space, Shop & Save owners Cezary and Eva Jakubowski purchased the entire shopping center thanks to $10 million in tax-increment financing from the city of Chicago. Hairston said hiring employees from the community was one condition tied to the TIF.
“Local hiring was a condition of the TIF funds, but they exceeded all expectations,” contends Hairston. “So far, they have hired 180 full and part-time employees with many coming from the community.”
Marvin Brown, a Bronzeville resident, said he was among those hired from the community as the store manager. Previously, he said he worked at Jewel and Pete’s Fresh Market.
“Unlike the other stores I managed, what makes Local Market different is our superior customer service and our prices are comparable to other chain grocery stores,” he said. “I believe that when you offer a good product matched with excellent customer service, people will travel from anywhere to come here. And we don’t want to be known as just a neighborhood store, but we want people from all over the city of Chicago to shop with us.”
Earlier this year, Jewel Osco opened a 48,000-square-foot store at 6014 S. Cottage Grove Ave. in Woodlawn, but Hairston said while that’s good, more grocery stores are still needed for the South Side before it can no longer be considered a ‘food desert.’
“Research has shown in Naperville there’s one, ‘major’ grocery store for every 13,000 people, so if four additional grocery stores were built on the Southeast Side of Chicago (which includes South Shore) there would still only be one, major grocery store for every 27,000 people,” explained Hairston. “And as good as four more stores may sound, the South Side would still be grossly underserved.”
The Dec. 11 grand opening for Local Market attracted more than 500 people who arrived two hours ahead of the 11 a.m. opening to brave the cold outside waiting for the doors to open. For Cynthia Brown, 60, seeing a grocery store open up in her neighborhood was a big deal.
“Overall, I like what this store offers. There’s a seafood section and a buffet for you to make your own meal to go. I’m glad I don’t have to leave my community anymore to buy groceries,” said Brown. “It would be better if their prices were a little less because some of their prices rival Jewel and Whole Foods, the two most expensive grocery stores on the South Side.”
Besides Local Market, a 62,000 square-foot store inside the Jeffery Plaza, 2101 E. 71st St., South Shore is poised for another big project planned across the street at 7054 S. Jeffery Blvd. which will feature a bowling alley, restaurant and movie theater.
South Shore resident Alisa Starks and her company Inner City Entertainment (ICE), which previously owned movie theaters in Chatham, North Lawndale and Chicago Lawn, is developing the new project.
Construction for Cinegrill, a 50,000-square-foot entertainment center, is expected to begin soon with a goal of opening by June 2020, according to Starks.
“ICE is launching a new development, blending a variety of entertainment and dining targeted to sophisticated, urbane adults,” explained Starks. “This new project is part of a community effort to revitalize the 71st Street business district in South Shore.”
She said the project specifically would encompass a seven-screen theatre that offers chef-designed cuisine, a bar, reclining seats, and seating capacity between 38 and 75. Additionally, the complex would also include Odessa’s Kitchen, a Creole-inspired restaurant seating up to 105 people; AJ’s, a four-lane bowling alley, equipped with multiple big-screen TVs, a lounge that serves alcohol and appetizers, and would also offer table games like checkers, chess and backgammon.
The last component for the development would be Penthouse 71, an events venue that could accommodate up to 225 people, and offers an outdoor patio for up to 85 people. In addition, a parking lot for the multi-entertainment center would be built at the corner of 71st Street and Bennett Avenue.
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