Several supermarket chains reportedly are interested in buying some of the 72 Dominick’s markets Safeway is closing in the Chicago area, but no deals have been announced yet for the two in Evanston.
“Maybe this will be an opportunity to get a tenant in the store that will be more responsive to the community,” said Alderman Peter Braithwaite, 2nd Ward, at Monday night’s City Council meeting — reflecting widespread concern about the impact of the grocer on the Evanston Plaza shopping center.
Control Dominick’s holds in its lease over what other types of businesses could locate in the center has been seen as one factor in the high vacancy rate at the center.
But it’s unclear whether any new chain would be any more flexible.
Residents have voiced hopes that the new grocery chain in the area — Mariano’s — a division of Milwaukee-based Roundy’s Supermarkets — might come to the rescue.
Top: The Dominick’s in the Evanston Plaza. Above: Demolition work underway at the Klein Tools plant site in Skokie that’s scheduled to be turned into a Mariano’s.
But with a Mariano’s already scheduled to open in 2015 on a site at Touhy Avenue and McCormick Boulevard in Skokie, just 2.5 miles southwest of Dempster Plaza, that’s probably less likely than the chance Mariano’s might pick up the other Evanston Dominick’s on Green Bay Road at the far north end of town, some 4.5 miles distant.
Mariano’s has a dozen stores in the Chicago area with another seven, including the one in Skokie, under construction.
Crain’s Chicago Business reports Mariano’s may be looking at as many as 20 Dominick’s locations.
The Green Bay Road Dominick’s in Evanston.
Cincinnati-based Kroger reportedly is considering 15 Dominicks sites for possible expansion of its Food4Less brand. But with a Food4Less in Evanston at 2400 Main St., Kroger may feel it already has its bases covered here.
Jewel, with two stores in Evanston and 28 within a 10 mile radius, is unlikely to be in the market for more Evanston stores — especially since, as the largest grocer in the market, it may also have to deal with government anti-trust concerns.
A variety of smaller chains, including northwest-Indiana-based Strack & Van Til and Chicago-based Treasure Island Foods, which has one of its seven locations in Wilmette, could also be among the shoppers looking at the Dominick’s locations.
Roundys division
My guess is one of the Roundys divsions, but not Marianos, which has committments already. That leaves Pick n' Save, Copps, Rainbow, etc.
We need a Piggly Wiggly!
Piggly Wiggly!
Amen!
As their jingle goes, Shop the Pig. Always friendly staff, clean stores and desirable product lines.
Piggly Wiggly Selling stores
just saw on Face Book that Piggly Wiggly is selling off stores in SC. 😉
Dollar Store
Dempster/Dodge needs a Dollar Store. that will bring customers to shop the MAll.
Roundys other brands are
Roundys other brands are faltering. Why would management try to invest in bringing a new brand to Chicago when they already have a differentiated brand in mariano's? Bringing PNS or rainbow to Chicago will end with the same fate as Dominicks.
I vote Marianos!
I would love it if Marianos would be there! It would cater to Evanston, Wilmett and many others. I would shop there over Jewel. I never went to dominicks even though they are closer to me than Jewel. I love their products and prices. The backery and deli are fantastic, the fresh squeezed orange rocks! I also love the butcher.
Comparisons ?
In Evanston many have used only Jewel and Dominicks for years and are not aware of the options for a new store.
Can someone(s) who is familiar with alternatives compare on the basis of store size store size, variety, price level. And rank where Dominicks and Jewel place in those rankings.
E.g. for size D&D,…,Dominicks, Jewel, …
price Aldi, …Dominicks, Jewel, …, Whole Food
There’s a Mariano’s going in
There's a Mariano's going in at the corner of Touhy & McCormick (Skokie).
How about Woodman’s?
How about opening an employee-owned Woodman's?
OMG
That place is amazing. I don't know if Evanstonians have enough stomach for all of that cheese (2 long aisles worth).
Venture, Builders Square, etc.
Venture, Builders Square, Mongomery Ward, Handy Andy, Home Base, Highland, Silo, Marshall Fields, etc. They're all gone. I went to these stores when I was a child! I spent most of my childhood years in Chicago.
Dominicks
Schnucks, the St. Louis chain that now owns the Logli stores in Rockford area may be a good fit.
Mariano and Dominicks comparison ?
Any comments about how Mariano compares in price, size, selection and brand vrs. private labels to Dominicks or Jewel ?
Dominicks —>Jewel ?
A story yesterday said Safeway was looking at selling themselves [now they decide !!!] and Jewel may be interested.
I think if Jewel was interested in the Dempster/Dodge or Dominicks at the Howard CTA [the later seems a no brainer for someone] they would have already done so, so probably any sale would mean nothing for Evanston.