A new grocery store may be coming to West Garfield Park, and the Garfield Park Community Council is asking residents to help decide what form it will take.

It is expected to be built on the former Aldi site.

The public-input initiative is organized by the Garfield Park Community Council, Garfield Park Rite to Wellness, West Side United and Ald. Jason Ervin of the 28th Ward, along with the city of Chicago.

They are considering three options for a grocery store: co-op, nonprofit, and for-profit. 

  • Co-op: This option would take the longest to open, somewhere between three to five years, but it would allow community members to buy shares, elect the board, and get benefits such as discounts. 
  • Nonprofit: This option would have a timeline of about two years. It would belong to an organization that would collaborate with the community and offer discounts through grants and donations. 
  • For-profit: This option would be the fastest to open, within one or two years. It would be owned by a local, regional, or national company. It would have a wider selection of products, but it could close at any time.

The push comes as the city deliberates over the developer of the property. The last grocery store in the neighborhood, an Aldi on West Madison Street, closed its doors in October 2021, citing poor sales performance and increased expenses. The area has become a food desert.

Residents and community leaders protested the closure, calling it a case of corporate discrimination and a threat to food security.

A year later, the Chicago City Council authorized $700,000 to acquire the shuttered site of Aldi. The city is planning to revitalize the building with proposals for a mixed-use development with a grocery store as the anchor.

Two proposals for developers were submitted: Garfield Gather and Westgate, both featuring affordable housing, retail space, and public amenities. A final decision has yet been selected.

A holiday market earlier this week, organized by the Garfield Park Community Council with Garfield Park Rite to Wellness, brought not only holiday spirit but also discussion of the community’s needs around grocery access on Dec. 9. 

“We’re totally without a grocery store besides the pop-up that the park community council is hosting during this time to fill the gap,” said Angela Taylor, GPCC wellness coordinator. 

Taylor said the market has been running for 11 years and has been one of the only sources for fresh produce in the community. But the market suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic, losing most of its vendors. Before the pandemic, the market had 45 vendors; now it has only 12.

The market operates year-round, but Taylor said it is not enough to meet the demand for healthy food in the neighborhood.

“We feel grateful that we’re available and the partners that have come to support us are making this available to the community residents,” Taylor said.

Residents can leave their feedback by filling out a 10-minute survey that is available on the GPCC website.