The original owners of bankrupt urban convenience-store chain Foxtrot are opening the chain’s doors again, according to an Instagram post and a spokesperson from the company.
“Three months after the unexpected closing of all the Foxtrot stores, a group of us former Foxtrot team members are banding together to bring back the original concept. The decision to shut down Foxtrot, and to do it so abruptly, was not ours. We believe the old Foxtrot lost its way,” the July 30th post said, in part. “In the unnecessary race to be the biggest, it lost sight of why it started in the first place.”
Mike LaVitola, Foxtrot’s founder, started a new company in June after Outfox Hospitality, the chain’s parent company, declared bankruptcy and sold its assets for approximately $2.2 million to Further Point Enterprises, New York. The new company is the root of the Foxtrot resurrection that plans to reopen several locations in Chicago.
LaVitola is returning to an executive position and working with Further Point to lead Foxtrot’s revival, he previously told Block Club Chicago. He plans to reopen 10 stores, starting with the locations in Old Town and Gold Coast, the report said, as the company attempts a comeback as a smaller chain. Last week, Further Point Enterprises applied for liquor licenses at the Wicker Park, Fulton Market, Old Town and Gold Coast former Foxtrot locations, Block Club Chicago has reported.
- LaVitola was among CSP’s Indie Innovators in 2018 and a Power 20 executive in 2021.
“This Foxtrot is about returning to our roots, endlessly searching for the best products where others can’t or won’t look, and being the first ‘yes’ to small makers so we can help them to get noticed and prosper,” Foxtrot’s Instagram post said. “Most importantly, we are about taking care of everyone along the way. Doing right by our teams, welcoming them back. Using our resources and passion to highlight local brands, and build their business alongside ours. We can’t make everything right from the past, and we know there’s work to be done. But we also know opening our doors again is the best way to provide the most opportunities for all. We’re ready to get back to what made us excited to be apart of Foxtrot from the beginning—brewing fresh coffee, serving delicious food and discovering that one perfect bottle of wine. This is the original Foxtrot, and we look forward to serving you soon.”
Foxtrot and small-format grocer Dom’s Kitchen & Market closed all of their stores suddenly in late April, posting a statement on social media. The move came less than six months after the brands announced a merger forming a new parent company, Outfox Hospitality.
Foxtrot had 33 locations in Chicago, Washington, D.C., Dallas and Austin, Texas. Dom’s had two locations in Chicago.
Following the closures, some employees filed lawsuits against the company, alleging they were not provided with the required 60-day notice before their jobs were terminated.
Outfox Hospitality filed a petition in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware in May for relief under Chapter 7 of the federal bankruptcy code. Further Point, New York, purchased Foxtrot’s assets on May 10 for approximately $2.2 million.
Meanwhile, small-format, upscale grocer The Fresh Market, Greensboro, North Carolina, is going to open a store in the space recently occupied by the Dom’s in Lincoln Park.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.
This story was originally featured on CSP Daily News, a sister publication of Supermarket News.
