A new Black-owned grocery store is set to open in Chicago’s West Pullman neighborhood next year, marking a major step toward expanding fresh food access and community investment on the Far South Side, according to CBS Chicago.
“I made a promise to the community that when Aldis closed, that wouldn’t be the final chapter,” said Ald. Ronnie Mosley (21st). Since Aldi left the area in 2024, Mosley said a local nonprofit, the Far South Community Development Coalition, stepped in to purchase the site, secure a developer, and obtain city funding to bring a new grocery concept to the neighborhood.
“We want to see some Black-owned companies that match our community come here,” Mosley said, emphasizing the goal of rebuilding local ownership and strengthening neighborhood-based economic development.
The project is now moving forward with plans for a fresh market experience designed to serve residents who have long faced limited access to full-service grocery options in West Pullman. Community leaders say the development is expected to improve food access while also creating jobs and keeping investment rooted on the Far South Side.
Melody Winston of Living Fresh Market is also involved in the project and is exploring the location as part of the development process. Winston, who grew up on Chicago’s South Side, said she understands the needs of the community and what residents have been missing in terms of fresh, affordable food options.
The new grocery store is expected to open next year, with plans targeting an Easter opening timeline, according to those involved in the project. While construction and final planning are still underway, organizers say the goal is to deliver a modern, community-centered market that reflects the neighborhood it serves.
For West Pullman residents, the project represents more than a new store—it’s a return of accessible groceries, new local opportunity, and long-term investment in a community that has been advocating for change for years.
