GALEWOOD — A River Forest garden center has scrapped plans to open a shop in long-vacant property in Galewood, though the family-owned business is still looking to open a West Side outpost.
Good Earth, featuring a greenhouse, garden supply store, fresh market and cafe, is no longer planning to purchase the site of a former McDonald’s at 1933 N. Harlem Ave., according to the business and Ald. Chris Taliaferro (29th). The business owners told Block Club they pulled out of the plans following a building inspection.
“Our plan was to refurbish the former McDonald’s building for our small, family business. But we encountered a few challenges to that plan and, as a result, had to take a step back,” Good Earth manager Regan Cronin said in a text message to Block Club.
The fifth-generation family business began on the South Side in 1928 and has operated a location in River Forest, known as Good Earth Greenhouse, since 2001.
Good Earth announced in April it was taking over the Harlem Avenue property, with business leaders holding a meeting with neighbors. Store leaders said they were intentional in coming to the Galewood area due to its many neighbors who are interested in gardening. Several neighbors at the meeting recognized the business from patronizing the River Forest location, Cronin said.
But that same month, the business was in the process of seeking a zoning change to operate at the location and meanwhile looked to set up a pop-up garden center at the site for the summer. As work began on the building, results from an inspection of the site led store officials to pull back on the purchase, Taliaferro said in an announcement to constituents.
The alderman said he doesn’t know what was discovered in the inspection that led store owners to cancel plans.
“I was of course very disappointed, and I believe it was a great opportunity for the Galewood neighborhood and certainly would have been a great business for that location,” Taliaferro told Block Club. “I’m very optimistic that there are going to be other opportunities that will be presented to the ward in the near future.”
Cronin said Good Earth still is looking to open a business in Galewood, but provided few other details.
“We are still looking for a solution. We would like to bring our business to Galewood,” Cronin said.
Taliaferro said he welcomes Good Earth to still pursue business in the neighborhood though he has not heard from store officials on future plans.
The Harlem Avenue site has been vacant for at least two decades, according to Taliaferro, and several proposed developments for the location have failed to fully gain the community and alderman’s support.
Last year, a five-story, market-rate rental building was proposed by Noah Properties and would have brought around 80 apartments to the site. Those plans were met with overwhelming opposition from neighbors and nixed by Taliaferro. A car wash was proposed for the location in 2023 but never moved forward, according to an Austin Weekly report.
Taliaferro said he is open to other proposals from retail businesses for the Harlem Avenue location that he will then present for feedback at a community meeting. Taliaferro said he “doesn’t see any need to have a presentation regarding a residential complex at that specific location” given the previous outspoken community feedback against residences at the site.