No city-owned grocery store for Chicago

The City of Chicago sidelined the idea of opening its own grocery store, at least if it intends to get any money from the state for the project. 

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson proposed the idea in September 2023, noting that pursuing such a project would make Chicago the first major U.S. city to own and operate its own grocery store. 

“All Chicagoans deserve to live near convenient, affordable, healthy grocery options,” Johnson said in 2023. “We know access to grocery stores is already a challenge for many residents, especially on the South and West Sides.”

The Chicago Tribune reported on Tuesday that a Freedom of Information Act request revealed the city had not applied for a state grant under the Illinois Grocery Initiative, missing the December deadline to apply. 

That program, signed into law by Gov. JB Pritzker in 2023, set aside $20 million to help open grocery stores in food deserts across Illinois. Municipalities are able to receive $2.4 million for each project.

The mayor’s office could not immediately be reached for comment. 

The decision comes at a time when many Chicagoans face food insecurity, particularly on the South and West Sides of the city, which have seen the closure of multiple stores in recent years, including three Walmart locations, two Target locations, and a Whole Foods Market.

While Chicago has taken a pass for now on the project, Atlanta is moving forward with its own plan to fight food deserts. 

In late December, the city announced it is providing $8.1 million in incentives to Savi Provisions, an independent specialty grocery chain that operates 16 stores in Atlanta. The funds will be used to open two locations in food deserts in Atlanta.