Chicago Magazine
interviews Roundy's CEO Bob Mariano. They discuss not only the expansion of Roundy's Mariano Fresh Market stores in the Chicago area and the decision by Safeway to exit the Chicago area and close their Dominick's stores last year. What's of focus here are the plans for a future Mariano's store in the Bronzeville neighborhood:
Mayor Emanuel has pledged to open supermarkets in so-called food deserts. Are you involved with that effort?
We’ve been working [with the mayor’s office] for a long time. We have a store in Jefferson Park, which, believe it or not, was a partial food desert for a long time. We’re working on a [Bronzeville] location at 39th and Martin Luther King Drive. [But] Jewel, Whole Foods, independent stores—we all do business in the city. Each needs to step up.
What’s the status of the Bronzeville store?
Because it’s [on Chicago Housing Authority land], there are things that CHA and the city have to do to free the site up. I hope that by this time next year we’re through the regulatory phase and ready to start. We had an architectural competition with four minority-owned architecture firms, because this is a very special location. We wanted the building to be reflective and respectful of the existing architecture.
We've been keeping
an eye on the Bronzeville Mariano's for a while -
at least since 2008 - although it's a long way from this part of town.
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