Dom's Kitchen & Market previews summer menu

Grocery stores are like people—they come in all different shapes and sizes. And here at The Local Checkout, I’ll be taking a closer look through a wide lens of independent grocery stores. Because just like people—they all matter. 

Summer menu

If you live in Chicago and are reading this, then you might want to plan a trip to Dom’s Kitchen & Market starting on Wednesday. I had the pleasure of tasting the grocer’s upcoming new summer menu offerings and let’s just say everything on the menu was outstanding.

For those of you who are not familiar, high-end Dom’s Kitchen & Market is redefining the local food shopping experience—and it is bringing restaurants along for the ride.

The independent grocer located in Chicago’s Lincoln Park and Old Town neighborhoods is forging alliances with local restaurants to further its to-go repertoire of prepared foods.

Restaurants include Avli, a modern Greek restaurant with locations in and around Chicago, and barbeque hotspot Lillie's Q.

Dom’s Kitchen & Market regards itself as a hybrid of a kitchen and a market that prides itself on its Chicago collaborations.

In fact, working with local brands is part of the Dom’s mission, as it strives to create a neighborhood vibe shoppers crave, Megan Jennett, director of marketing at Dom’s, told The Local Checkout. "We’re really pushing to be just one team,” Jennett said, noting she sees local brands and restaurants as allies. 

And with the official start to summer next week, the Dom’s summer menu has something for everyone—except a needed a reservation.

“We’re bringing the quality of a restaurant to a supermarket,” Dom’s chef James Klewin said.

USDA savings

The Independent Grocers Alliance (IGA) reported this week that independent grocers in rural communities “may be eligible for the REAP grant, which supports retailers in their pursuit of energy efficiency and sustainability.” Independent grocers can click on this link to get the details on whether their store qualifies. The grant is for independent stores in communities of less than 50,000 people.

Access to health

The National Grocers Association (NGA) held an inaugural meeting this month to discuss solutions for providing access to healthy benefit cards in high-need communities being served by independent grocers.

NGA spearheaded this meeting to discuss the issue, explore possible solutions and urge cooperation among the groups to reach a resolution by the end of the third quarter of this year.

“Healthy Benefit Card programs underscore the integral role that food plays in overall health," said Stephanie Johnson, NGA vice president of government relations. “By combining affordability, accessibility and nutritional support, independent grocers can empower individuals to make informed choices about their health and well-being. We appreciate the opportunity to convene these important stakeholders and look forward to building consensus around ways in which we can achieve broad access for independent grocers and their customers."

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