Artistmac visits the now reopened Chatham Walmart

 

[VIDEO] The Walmart located on 83rd & Stewart located actually in the West Chatham neighborhood reopened on Friday. It was closed since late May as it reportedly suffered a fire and was heavily looted in the last weekend of May in the wake of George Floyd's death in Minneapolis. 

As artistmac notes:  

One welcome addition to the store: in addition to the existing vision department, a health clinic with its own entrance.

Glad to see this Walmart reopen because of the looting that happened in a number of neighborhoods around the city - and especially critical on the south side - businesses hit with the looting caused them to be in danger of closing permanently. As noted in this video it also means a loss of jobs for those who want to be productive in their communities.

Walmart on 83rd/Stewart is hiring

 Sorry to have not shared this information earlier as it was also shared on Concerned Citizens of Chatham on Thursday. If you're looking for work there are opportunities out there including at the 83rd Street Walmart which fell victim and was closed for a while due to the unrest from over the summer.

Tribune: Blue Cross to bring 550 jobs to South Side, with opening of new center in former Target location

It's great to see one of the two Target stores that closed earlier this year will soon find a new use:

Blue Cross has leased a nearly 130,000-square-foot space that formerly housed a Target at 119th Street and Marshfield Avenue in Morgan Park, the health insurance company announced Monday.

Part of the facility will be offices for Blue Cross workers, and part of it will be used to help people in the community — and not just those with Blue Cross health insurance — such as by offering free yoga or nutrition classes.

The new center is expected to open in the first half of next year.

“It makes us more accessible to our employees who live across Chicagoland and Cook County,” said Jill Wolowitz, vice president of government relations and community affairs at the health insurer. “It makes us more visible and accessible to our members who live throughout Chicago, and we’re looking forward to providing some economic stimulus in a significant South Side neighborhood.”

Most of the 550 jobs will be new ones, but the company is still working out what type of jobs will be included, Wolowitz said.

The company plans to recruit for many of those new jobs from the surrounding communities, through job fairs and other local opportunities, she said.

Coming soon Chatham Meat & Produce??? #6WardChicago

This was posted to Nextdoor over the weekend as something of an update to the closure of Chatham Food Market

Chatham foods will be closing within a week. EVERYTHING is marked down to 50% off. Fresh meat is brought out daily & I took advantage of the sales. They will be closed for at least 2 months, slated to reopen in June as a MEAT & PRODUCE MARKET!!!! 

Because they're in the remodeling stages and moving many shelving units that haven't been moved in decades??? The store has a peculiar aroma of a stagnant mice farm. Also, if you choose to by can & glass non perishables CHECK THE EXPIRATION DATES....

So we're going to get a new iteration of this local grocery store. And I'm a little concerned about the reports of the aroma since we found out about the market's impending closure for renovations.

To be fair, I've only been in the store once and was disappointed when this business was sold to non-Black ownership. On the other hand since it seems the trend has favored larger grocery chains I'm glad that this local business will continue in some way.

It makes me wonder how an independent grocery store could compete with the Jewel, Mariano's, Walmart, Foor 4 Less or Whole Foods of the world.

Tribune: For some South Side Chicago residents, losing 2 Target stores isn't just an economic blow

This is the month that the Targets in Morgan Park (just off of I-57 at 119th Street) have closed for good. It seems reading this recent Tribune piece it is still a sore spot for many in those communities, especially in Chatham where the Target had opened in 2002.

'I feel cheated': For some South Side Chicago residents, losing 2 Target stores isn't just an economic blow https://t.co/aODu76qVv9 pic.twitter.com/py9a1OKcZy

— ChicagoBreaking (@ChicagoBreaking) February 7, 2019

Store closings aren’t unusual. But for neighborhoods served by the Targets that have left — among them Chatham, South Shore, Avalon Park, Grand Crossing, Morgan Park, Calumet Park — it is a particular blow because of the lack of big-box, nationally recognizable shopping options. The community’s emotional response reveals just how the disparity is taken personally and its impact on the morale of a neighborhood.

As Target is closing its South Side locations, it plans to open at least one new store on Chicago’s North Side, deepening the emotional blow to residents south of downtown.

“Target filled a gap in terms of the quality of life for these communities,” said U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush of Chicago, who staged public protests and demonstrations to try persuade the retailer to stay. “Abruptly, that gap has been reopened, without any consideration, commentary or collaboration with the community at all.”

It’s no wonder that residents feel so upset that some are vowing never to shop at the stores again, Rush said.

“The emotional reaction stems from, here you have a community that has been underserved for decades, finally getting a small respect, some sense of quality of life for consumers and they felt they had options to buy and purchase goods,” he said. “They were kicked to the curb, so to speak. When will it stop? We befriended Target. We supported Target. And now we’re left without many options. (Residents) are mad, they are angry.”

Nedra Sims Fears, executive director of the Greater Chatham Initiative, said Target’s pullout “just feels like a deliberate disinvestment.”

“Target wouldn’t tell us how many people the stores served, the revenue,” she said. “We wanted to work with them. But we can’t work with an organization that is impenetrable. It feels like a betrayal.”

Target called the decision to close the stores difficult but one based on their performance. A company spokeswoman said at the time that the move was “not about a neighborhood or geography,” though she said the proximity of other stores was a consideration. She also said Target remains committed to Chicago.

A Target spokeswoman declined further comment Thursday.

But in the two South Side areas affected, the closings remain a sore topic raised on email discussion groups and social media, and at community meetings. When people talk to Fears about it, she reminds them of the many small businesses and locally owned stores that could use their support.

“We are not defined by one store,” Fears said she tells them. “Target gave our community some cachet. … It had an appeal. I believe we have some lovely boutiques in the area, and we will all come together and figure out what a replacement option will look like.”

CBS Chicago: Englewood hopes for more holiday shoppers

[VIDEO] Sorry to have missed this story when it first aired. It's great to see Englewood represented positively during this holiday season. As I have no problem saying the activists of Englewood especially from R.A.G.E. should be a model for a number of neighborhood organizations. Whether middle-class or low-income.

And this idea of a neighborhood branded store selling neighborhood branded apparel could be something that should be replicated. What do you think?

Southside Chicagoans deserve economic development solutions

You might have seen this in state Sen. Elgie Sims' latest e-mail blast referring to the future closure of Target stores in Chatham & Morgan Park.

I’m disheartened by the news that the Target Corporation has decided to close two stores in February 2019 on the city’s South Side, including one located in my neighborhood, Chatham. Not only is the store a source of income for more than 100 people, but many of my constituents rely on it for everyday essentials, including food and medication. This closure will make it harder for families who are already struggling, forcing them to find a way to travel farther to get the items they need.

It seems that the people of Chicago’s South Side, in predominantly African American neighborhoods, are always the first to be left out in the cold by big box stores. Members of the communities surrounding these stores supported them for 10 years, and now Target has decided to close their doors, giving explanations that do not seem to match with reality.

Recently, I joined with elected officials from the state, city and federal governments to speak about this ill-advised decision, which happens to involve closing the stores AFTER the lucrative holiday season, and I intend to find solutions to this problem. The people of the 17th District and all of the communities it includes deserve better.

Yes we do! Now how do our communities avoid being left out in the cold?

And also bear in mind Sims' constituent office is also near the Target at 87th & Cottage Grove.

Doesn't look like Target will reconsider #6thWardChicago

Posted to the Concerned Citizens of Chatham FB page (which is run by Worlee Glover who's running for 6th ward alderman) an article about Target choosing to double down on their decision to close two of their south side stores.

City officials are scrambling to get Target to reconsider its decision to close two South Side stores early next year, offering the retailer millions of dollars in incentives to keep the stores open.

But Target, which last week announced plans to close stores in the Morgan Park and Chatham neighborhoods, said it is standing by its “difficult decision” — one that has been met with criticism from shoppers and local officials alike.

The city is still trying to get Target to change its mind, though officials recognize it’s a long shot, said Adam Collins, a spokesman for Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

Emanuel has spoken with Target’s CEO at least five times since the company notified the city of its plans the day before the closures were announced publicly, and he has offered millions of dollars in tax increment financing assistance, said Collins, who declined to comment on details of the city’s offer.

On Wednesday, Emanuel signed an executive order that would keep developers seeking TIF money for retail projects from getting incentives if one of their large tenants is planning to close stores in another part of the city.

The move was in response to Target’s announcement, Collins said. The City Council recently approved $13 million in assistance for a shopping center in Albany Park that the city said is expected to include a Target. The Minneapolis-based retailer has not publicly announced plans for a store at that location.

Emanuel said the executive order is meant to ensure “if you’re going to be a Chicagoland store you’re in all parts of Chicago.”

Mayor Emanuel may be unpopular for a variety of reasons, but I am with him on this. If you're going to be in Chicago you have to be in all parts of the city. It's one reason why Whole Foods Market is in Englewood today!

On the other hand, what would it take for Target to change their minds on closing either or both stores on the south side? It seems like they've made up their mind and no mood to change it!

RELATED: Target to exit far south side neighborhoods #6WardChicago

Upset with the closure of Target?

The store in Chatham & Morgan Park which was announced earlier this week? Concerned Citizens of Chatham let's us know who to direct our questions and concerns to. Probably worth it to reach out and let them know how valuable the store has been to our community.

BlockClubChi: Target Boycott Considered As Company Closes Stores In South Side Neighborhoods

From Block Club's Lee Edwards who covers stories in Chatham.The neighborhood is abuzz with the news that our local Target store is closing.

Black Chicagoans are threatening to boycott Target after the retailer decided to close two stores on the South Side.

A Target spokeswoman said the store at 8560 S. Cottage Grove and the Morgan Park location at 11840 S. Marshfield Ave. are two of the five stores nationwide picked to close because they’re not profitable.

This baffled shoppers and local elected officials, who said the stores were always bustling with customers.

...

Target spokeswoman Jacqueline Debuse said the primary factors leading to the closure of both stores are performance and profitability, but declined to release details on the stores’ financial performance. Both stores are slated to close Feb. 2.

“If the stores had been underperforming for several years I don’t understand why they wouldn’t look to the city for information, if not assistance, to do what we can to keep those stores afloat,” [Ald. Roderick] Sawyer said.

The backlash on social media to the closures was swift, with frustrated South Siders pointing out that the company is growing rapidly on the city’s mostly-white North Side.

...

Sawyer said he’s already made a few preliminary calls to developers and potential stores to gauge interest in filling the 126,000 square-foot space. He said he intends on working with city and community partners to find a viable tenant for the space in the coming weeks.

“For such a large retailer as Target it demonstrates a lack of a connection to the community and extreme insensitivity toward people’s feelings about their shopping experience,” he said. “I have friends that are religious Target shoppers and for them to do something like this it’s extremely disconcerting and I think extremely insensitive.”

Congressman Bobby Rush (D-Ill.) scheduled a press conference in the parking lot of the Target store in Chatham for Thursday morning. 

 
“Target should immediately postpone their closure date,” Rush said in a statement. “They cannot take our money around the holiday season and then pack up and leave.”

Worlee Glover of Concerned Citizens of Chatham was also quoted:

Glover said companies like Target leaving the community impacts young people and seniors the most. He said his late mother was able to visit Target’s pharmacy and grocery store via a local transit and return home, and teens are losing employment opportunities within the community.

“When companies like Target and Best Buy have moved out of my community I do my own silent boycott,” he said. “If my money is no good with you in my neighborhood, my money is no good with you outside of my neighborhood. I will find another source.”

I didn't see much about a boycott here, question is whether or not this will influence Target's decision for either of the two south side Chicago Target stores. Although many seem to be making their own boycott as Worlee does. Our money is no good to you, then why support you? 

State Representative Marcus Evans on the closure of Chatham's Target

Shared this on our FB page earlier this week and will share it with you on this blog tonight. Rep. Marcus Evans represents Illinois' 33rd state rep. district who's office is actually across the street from the Target near 87th/Cottage Grove.

Poll: Do you know what BoomBox Chatham is?

I missed this over the weekend. Over at Concerned Citizens of Chatham there was a poll over whether or not anyone in the community knows what BoomBox Chatham is. I suppose Worlee Glover is attempting to determine if anyone in the community knows it actually exists.

I'll be on the lookout later however Worlee has been outspoken about the lack of a plan for the BoomBox location at 79th and Rhodes - the site of the demolished Rhodes Theater. And every once in a while our IG page gets tagged by BoomBox on the latest happening at the space. Here's the latest happening as of earlier this month.

Custom T-shirt’s made while you wait. Represent Chatham with a “79th for life” shirt and support a local entrepreneur @blingismybiz. #boomboxchatham #chatham #southside #womanowned #blackowned #chismallbiz #shopboombox #shop79 #79thforlife

A post shared by BoomboxChicago (@boomboxchicago) on Aug 9, 2018 at 2:08pm PDT

PHOTO: 87th/Cottage Grove 1960 to 2018 #tbt

87th/Cottage Grove - 1960

 The Sixth Ward: PHOTO: 87th & Cottage Grove 1960

I posted the above pic to the link above back in July 2012. Up until about the first decade of the 21st Century Walgreen's was on this corner as you know things have since changed since then. You can read more background of the shopping center we now know as Chatham Village Square in the above link also.

In addition to Walgreen's there is a Chase branch, Nike Outlet, a Target, an AT&T store, and even a military recruiting station. Back in the day say during the course of the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s the shopping center once was home to a Radio Shack, People's Gas, a bowling alley, Sara Lee store, Woolworths, and even a Polk Bros. As happens as time goes on, things must change.

Pic below of the same corner.

87th/ Cottage Grove - March 2018

King Food & Deli #6WardChicago

Photo by Richard Wooten

On Nextdoor Richard Wooten a prominent leader in the 6th Ward posted this picture of a business that moved into the former Church's Chicken on 87th & King Drive. The complaints made by Wooten and others is based upon the signage and also the products they offer. What you see would be acceptable in other neighborhoods - I could dare say low-income - but for Chatham well not acceptable.

Apparently enough people complained that 6th Ward Ald. Roderick Sawyer had to release a statement on this.

• Ald. Sawyer, community leaders speak out about new problem business in Chatham
  
  CHICAGO (July 5, 2018)--Ald. Roderick T. Sawyer (6) stood with community leaders on Thursday to speak out against a newly opened business in the Chatham neighborhood.
  
  Ald. Sawyer joined Chatham-Avalon Community Council President Rev. Dr. Marc A. Robertson, Greater Chatham Alliance President Richard Wooten, and Chesterfield Community Council President Elizabeth Prowell to voice outrage at the King Food & Deli located at 87th Street and King Drive. Ald. Sawyer said he had heard from a number of neighborhood residents who were offended by the store’s use of bulletproof glass and merchandise for sale, including blunts and unhealthy snacks.
  
  “This store is an affront to our community,” said Ald. Sawyer. “Chatham is a family-oriented neighborhood. By marketing unsavory items and using bulletproof glass, the store fails to treat our residents--its potential customers--with the respect we deserve.”
  
  Ald. Sawyer said he had been unable to prevent the opening or regulation of the opening of the store, and called on his colleagues in the City Council to pass 7th Ward Ald. Greg Mitchell’s proposed ordinance to require aldermanic approval of these sort of retail food licenses.
  
  “Unfortunately, this is a problem we see far too often in African American communities,” said Ald. Sawyer, who is chair of the City Council Black Caucus. “I believe this could be at least partially addressed by increased local control over licensing decisions for aldermen. That’s why I support Ald. Mitchell’s ordinance, and hope it is passed quickly by the City Council.”
  
  Ald. Sawyer said he would continue to fight to protect the 6th Ward against problem businesses, and was seeking solutions to address community concerns about King Food & Deli in the immediate term.

This could beg the question of how does Chatham and the surrounding areas that want to be attached to Chatham attract these so-called family-oriented businesses? How do we keep businesses such as the King Food & Deli from opening in the community?

Re: Boombox Chatham

 

On Sunday Worlee Glover had a meeting with representatives of Boombox Chicago and shared this report over at Nextdoor.

I think I can see in addition to whatever vendors that could take up residents in the Boombox at 79th/Rhodes they could turn that lot into a plaza of sorts. Perhaps there can be events that could be serviced by food trucks during key times, especially when the weather warms up.

In Worlee's meeting we see some issues address and hopefully we'll see the results of this in the near future. Hopefully the Boombox will soon be a great spot.

What replaces Staples on 87th Street?

You might have seen this over at Worlee Glover's Concerned Citizen's of Chatham over the weekend. This will be the new business to take up shop at the former Staples store at 163 W. 87th Street. Check out the comments when you click through the new business - dd's Discounts - isn't a popular choice.

Portion of sales from Whole Foods Market donated to Comer Youth Center

Found this over at the Whole Foods Englewood ig page 5% of sales from Englewood, Hyde Park, and South Loop stores will be donated to the Gary Comer Youth Center tomorrow.

Tomorrow our Englewood, South Loop, and Hyde Park stores will be donating 5% of our total sales to the Gary Comer Youth Center. Come out and buy some extra groceries and support the youth programming of the Gary Comer Youth Center located on the south side of Chicago. The organization offers after school programming, job training, and urban agriculture opportunities. Learn more www.garycomeryouthcenter.org

A post shared by Whole Foods Market Englewood (@wholefoodseng) on Jan 10, 2018 at 8:19am PST

#BoomboxChatham open house/harvest fest on Saturday

79th/Rhodes during nicer weather in early October

I intended to post this on Saturday and not sure what happened with that. However you can visit the Boombox ig page and the Greater Chatham Initiative page to see some images of of the now past event at 79th & Rhodes. You will see the Jesse White Tumblers made an appearance for the Open House on this past Saturday. A tweet shared below from Boombox.

Glad we made the concrete pad extra large so we can have @JWTumblers perform! Flip, twists and zig zags. #BoomboxChatham #GCIHarvestFest pic.twitter.com/O2O3zgXy9Q

— Boooooo-box! (@BoomboxChicago) October 28, 2017

The Boombox at 79th & Rhodes is installed

79th/Rhodes in Spring 2017

The Boombox coming to the site of the former Rhodes Theater was installed, however, halted by some rain on the date indicated in the video you will see below - on October 10, 2017.

Want to see a day of work in 18 secs? Watch us get rained out dropping off #boomboxchatham. Back to work tomorrow! #startuptostorefront pic.twitter.com/3q5FRANpI1

— Boooooo-box! (@BoomboxChicago) October 24, 2017

Hopefully worked continued as indicated on Wednesday although it also rained on that day, so who knows of the Boombox crew was able to finish the job on that day. Perhaps it's time to see if they did do more work on this site now that the weather has finally cleared up.

BTW, earlier this month I dropped by the site to take some pics of 79th & Rhodes. How many of you think there is potential here? Here's hoping this boombox which has a nearby located near 63rd & Halsted will prove to be a benefit to this area. The collage of pics of this area I posted to instagram.

The site of the soon to come @boomboxchicago at 79th/Rhodes. What types of activity will be seen here when it finally opens? #chicagogram #business #realestate #boombox #popupshop #olloclip

A post shared by The Sixth Ward (@thesixthward) on Oct 3, 2017 at 4:38pm PDT

RELATED: Boombox Chicago is coming to 79th & Rhodes

The one-year mark for Whole Foods Market Englewood #teamwfm

On the heels of Whole Foods Market Englewood one year mark the Tribune had published an article written during the course of the past week. In fact, if you bought a paper from this past Sunday you might have read this article. The question to ask is how the store is doing since it opened a year ago?

Well I won't provide the answer to that question, however, as far as year two or future years this is the expectation as far as that store's success:

“Englewood is the biggest challenge we’ve ever undertaken as a company trying to serve a community. It’s been the most challenging, and not necessarily in a bad way. But it’s only one year in,” said Walter Robb, former co-CEO of Whole Foods who is now chairman of Whole Cities Foundation, an affiliated nonprofit that’s also active in Englewood.

Bashaw said he didn’t expect Amazon’s ownership of the company to have any bearing on the Englewood store.

More businesses moving in nearby could help bring more foot traffic to Englewood Square, which also includes a Starbucks and a Chipotle Mexican Grill. Negotiations are ongoing for the development of the seven city-owned acres adjacent to Englewood Square, said Deputy Mayor Andrea Zopp, who declined to provide further details.

“We have a lot of work to do (in Englewood) and we’re not done yet,” Zopp said. “One of the things we push back on all the time is people want these neighborhoods flipped overnight. They didn’t get this way overnight. But we are committed.”

Also let's add the comments of the Resident Association of Greater Englewood's Asiaha Butler. As documented over the years of this blog has advocated for a Whole Foods store in Englewood. The dream came true!

Both Whole Foods executives and Englewood community leaders emphasize that the store is just one component of a larger movement to improve quality of life in Englewood. Asiaha Butler, president of the Resident Association of Greater Englewood, said Whole Foods has raised awareness of healthy living in a community that sorely needs it.

“I think it can work, but it’s a slow process,” Butler said. “I do think they’re here to stay.”

Read the whole thing!