Local Shopping Picks up Steam with Arrival of New Grocer
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Winter 2015 DISCOVERMagazine local shopping picks up steam with Spotlighting arrival of 2014’s Award Winners new grocer With more YouTube.com/ParkForestIL features than ever! 1 that we weren’t once again charging at a windmill in a purchase a franchise before a local store can open. All dreamy hopefulness reminiscent of Don Quixote. I was of those can be daunting challenges, especially when the MAYOR’S MESSAGE convinced that “anything is better than nothing” just competition is severe because every other community wasn’t really a viable option for Park Forest. in our south suburban region is playing the economic Economic development ain’t The reports that came back indicated that Mr. Jaber’s development game as aggressively as possible too. bean-bag. It’s a game played on Wisconsin operations were highly successful. In addition, as circumstances in several of our a tricky field. It’s unpredictable, neighboring communities also illustrate, the south inconsistent, and extremely new operation – Orchard Fresh – was undercapitalized Additionally, I learned that funding for his Park Forest suburban region is suffering from economic blight in a demanding. Just when you from the beginning and thus never progressed much operation was being provided through the efforts of way that most of the rest of Chicagoland is not. In 2013, think you’ve made a couple beyond its 2009 grand opening. It wasn’t long after the Chicago Community Loan Fund (CCLF), whose the Brookings Institution released a nationwide study of steps forward, you realize that opening that Village officials came to realize that president – Calvin Holmes – is a highly respected of poverty and revealed that for the first time in U.S. that you’ve also taken a step many of the claims that had been made by the developer financial figure in Chicago and someone with whom history, suburban poverty has surpassed urban poverty. backward. about the experience of the grocery operator were less I have worked as a fellow board member of the Cook A follow-up study by Brookings is concentrating on than accurate. It thus was with a very sceptic eye that I County Land Bank Authority. Mr. Holmes also serves on two specific regions in the U.S., one of which is the Nothing better illustrates that situation that the Village viewed various notions about a new Park Forest grocery our local South Suburban Land Bank & Development south suburbs. In regions where poverty levels are high, of Park Forest’s efforts to attract a grocery store to our store that were put before the Village Board. I recognized Authority and I knew CCLF wouldn’t be backing an economic development is low. Our area is struggling to community. that being twice burned by deals that suffered from operation that didn’t have firm footing. Finally, I learned recuperate from the economic downturn of 2007-08 in limited sustainability, the public’s faith was wearing thin: that Mr. Jaber had purchased the Country Squire grocery ways that are far greater than what is found elsewhere in Only shortly before I became mayor in 1999, Jewel a third attempt needed to be as solid as possible, or our store in Chicago Heights some time back and I was well our county, state, and nation. announced that it was closing its long-time facility in hopes of ever escaping from our local food desert were aware of the success of that operation. our town. The store was dark for a long time before we limited at best. Finally, another detriment to economic development were able to convince Dick Sterk, the then-owner of a Thus, we have a new grocery store in Park Forest – in the south suburbs is the Cook County property tax small chain of food stores headquartered in northwest Meanwhile, of course, major grocery operations in some Country Squire Foods – and I am very optimistic that it structure that encourages business growth in more Indiana, to open a Park Forest facility. Unfortunately, by of our nearby communities were shutting down, which will be a success. Our staff has worked extremely hard financially-advantaged areas over our local region, which the time the Sterk’s folks worked out all the give-and- created a more uneven playing field on which we had to to assure that we have the right fit in a grocer, one with struggles to foster business investment and development. take negotiations with the developer who owned the site operate. The now vacant sites of the former Dominick’s more than adequate experience and capitalization to be I’ve been working with various local groups with the for the store, the chain was being sold to a larger grocery store in Matteson and the former Jewel store in Olympia successful. goal of bringing about some revisions in that structure conglomerate. The Village of Park Forest had worked Fields both were located on Lincoln Highway, certainly in order – again – to make the playing field more level. out a sales-tax-sharing arrangement with Sterk’s, and a roadway with much heavier traffic patterns than Often I receive suggestions from local residents that Let’s hope 2015 is a year in which we will see some the new owners kept the store in operation for most of Orchard Drive in Park Forest. How would we be able to we seek out this business or that business for our viable solutions come forward. the time that agreement was in place, but then decided attract a grocer to our downtown when so many greater town. I take each of these suggestions seriously, as to close the entire Sterk’s chain, which meant empty opportunities for easy customer accessibility seemed to does our staff, but the process for attracting name- I have great confidence in our Park Forest economic grocery-store sites in Park Forest and some of our be present at those other sites? brand operations is extremely complicated. First development staff and in the members of our Economic neighboring communities. of all, virtually every major corporate business has Development Advisory Group (EDAG). All of them When Matanky Realty – owners of the complex where demographic requirements regarding traffic counts and work very hard to seek out the best possible businesses Again Park Forest suffered a prolonged period without our local grocery store has been located for decades local income levels. Furthermore, many have point for our community and to find ways to offset the regional a grocery store. The owner of the former Sterk’s site – proposed an arrangement with Wisconsin-based systems that take into consideration how successful other problems we face. We’ve had some good successes decided that the facility was too large to attract a new grocer Jeff Jaber to open a Park Forest facility, I felt businesses in the immediate region have been. Finally, of late – Country Squire, the new Dollar General, the grocer, so things were cutback considerably in order strongly that our Village staff needed to examine the a number of commercial operations are franchise-based, Sapphire Room in the downtown – so let’s hope that to accommodate a new operator. Unfortunately, the opportunity as thoroughly as possible in order to assure which means someone with $100,000 or more must breeds even greater success for the future. 2 3 But one thing most residents could always agree on amazing local, fresh produce.” when Orchard Fresh Market left town was the need of some grocer – any grocer – to have a presence in Park Upon entering the grocery store, you don’t have to look OF Forest. far to see exactly what the store managers, Roger and RETURNTHE ROCER Ken, mean. Mounds of produce immediately greet That day came in 2014 when Country Squire Foods shoppers once inside. From many common items to G announced the opening of a new store in the space more rare products, the selection is far from limited. It’s been close to five years since Park Forest’s last But just shy of a year after opening, the store once formerly occupied by Orchard Fresh Market on South Adjacent to the produce, a lengthy deli counter houses grocery store, Orchard Fresh Market, closed its doors. cheered was calling it quits. Orchard Drive. an abundance of options. A large variety of cheeses It was a store of promise in its first days of operation. and cold cuts are sliced by staff behind the counter, and There was a well-attended ribbon cutting in the parking There are varying theories among residents as to why Country Squire Foods describes itself as “the only place samples are always available to ensure that you get a lot of the store featuring many familiar faces cheering its the store’s stay in Park Forest was so short-lived; from to go to make your meal,” if you’re a lover of food and product you’re completely happy with. Just past the deli arrival, encouraging others to be loyal in their support. struggling to keep product on the shelves to variety of love to cook. With close to thirty years of experience, you’ll find a counter for fresh cut meats and a second product to competition. Five people may provide five Park Forest’s newest grocer is proud to provide shoppers counter for fresh seafood. Butchers serve up a variety The opening of Orchard Fresh Market ended an almost different answers on the store’s quick exit. with products they stand behind, describing their crown of items including chicken, beef, various types of fish, two-year Park Forest grocery store drought. jewels as “high-quality meats, the freshest seafood, and shrimp, and many more options.