Monday, December 2, 2013

Uptown/Edgewater Dominick's Becoming Mariano's

Looks like our Whole Foods rumor was wrong.  But Mariano's is coming to Uptown/Edgewater!
"Milwaukee-based Roundy's, owner of Mariano's grocery stores, said Monday it is buying 11 Dominick's stores in the Chicago area.

The deal is worth $36 million. The stores are expected to be converted into Mariano’s within a month or two after the deal closes, expected in mid-December.

The locations being purchased are ... Chicago: 5201 N. Sheridan Rd."  Read the rest of the Tribune's story here.
Sorry to all who got hopes up for Whole Foods.  We published it as a rumor, and sometimes rumors just aren't true.  We trust having a local Mariano's will make up for the disappointment.

Update:  Crain's reports "Roundy’s will take possession of all the stores in January and February, close them and convert them into Mariano’s groceries during a 30- to 45-day period, a company spokesman said. Details about when specific stores will close were not immediately available."

Update 2:  The Trib reports "Employees at the stores being converted will need to reapply for jobs when the stores reopen as Mariano's. A spokesman said the company will be holding a job fair for new hires and that Dominick's employees can apply online or in-person for positions. Existing employees will not be given preference over other applicants, the spokesman added."

18 comments:

  1. I think that Mariano's is a much nicer fit than Whole Foods. Ever since one opened in Roscoe Village, I nearly stopped shopping at Jewel. Customer service and pricing is much more competitive than at Jewel or Dominick's, and incomparably more competitive than Whole Foods.

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    1. I am curious to know what will become of the Dominick's at 6009 N. Broadway (at Glenlake).

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    2. That one will become a Whole Foods, but not until it has been closed for a year to bust up the union. Got that info from someone in marketing for WF...

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    3. According to the Safeway real estate site, the store at 6009 N Broadway is not listed as available, meaning it was bought by someone. My guess would be either Food4Less or maybe even Whole Foods. I know they've been looking for a way to get into the Andersonville market, and maybe they think this location will help them do that. I would have thought that the Foster location would have been better for Whole Foods if they wanted the Andersonville Market. But maybe at the Broadway location they figure they can also get students from Loyola who want to eat healthy.

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  2. This just made my day, my week, and my December! Thank GOD problem solved! Definitely the right move and a well deserved open-armed hug and welcome!!!!!

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  3. Very happy to see the 5201 Sheridan location will not go vacant. Mariano's will be a welcomed addition to the 'hood. I can't wait since I live about 1000 yards from the front door!

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  4. Super excited! I've heard nothing but good things about Mariano's

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    1. Seconded. Not very impressed with Jewel, and the F&S Dominick's is only a block farther away from me (but has the usual Dominick's/Safeway issues with overpriced/limited selection). Fingers crossed for better shopping in our 'hood!

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  5. Yaaay...officially no more shopping at the dump of a Jewel on Montrose/Sheridan! (even though I live only 2 block away!)

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    1. That is kinda harsh- its not that bad

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    2. It used to be much worse, and the customer service was ridiculous. When I moved here, it was affectionately called the "ghetto Jewel."

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    3. You got it, U.R. I remember when the pillars were conveniently positioned in the middle of aisles (wrapped in aluminum plates), you couldn't take carts into the parking lot (gates kept the carts by the entrances, and you either carried everything to your car or crossed your fingers that no one would steal your groceries while you pulled up to the curb to pick up), shelves were half-stocked, half-eaten bunches of grapes would be tucked in between broken boxes of powdered laundry detergent, and St. Helen's Army glared at you in each pillar-studded aisle--either because you had the GALL to shop there or because they couldn't find any WIC coupon specials and blamed it on you. Shopping in Detroit was the only scarier experience I had before then. The first remodeling of that store was the beginning of a stunning turnaround...it isn't quite as good as it was 10 years ago, but it certainly isn't a dump by any reasonable standard.

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  6. Thank You Mr. Mariano ! WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD .

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  7. They should give priority to the Dominicks employees. Of course, Mr. Mariano used to be Dominicks CEO and has a huge resentment towards them today.

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    1. He does have a grudge against Safeway for the way they treated Dominick's after they purchased the company. Dominick's set up their own job fairs to avoid paying severance to the laid off employees as they would be ineligible if they accepted new jobs before the closing date. So it could be that officially "they will not have preference" just to make sure that the workers are not screwed out of their severance/unemployment benefits by accepting a job before the Dominick's stores are closed and the Mariano's stores are ready to be reopened after rebranding.

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  8. Have a Mariano's by my work on Randolph St. Great store! Welcome to the neighborhood. Definitely shopping here!!!

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  9. Crain's is reporting (behind a paywall) that Whole Foods is expected to buy the Dominick's at Broadway and Glenlake which, I know isn't in Uptown itself, but will still be a convenient location for the neighborhood.

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    1. Yikes, there was a deadly shooting there yesterday (at Greenlake and Broadway). Foster would of been a better location for Whole Foods. But Mariano's is better IMO, so no complaints.

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