New Grocery Store To Replace Former West Pullman Aldi That Closed In 2024

WEST PULLMAN — Aldi abruptly closed its West Pullman store in 2024, leaving some neighbors frustrated and without easy access to fresh produce and affordable food options.

But on Wednesday, the city awarded a $150,000 community development grant to the Far South Community Development Corporation so it can begin work to bring a new grocery model to the former Aldi at 821 W. 115th St.

The community development corporation will work with Living Fresh Market, a Black-owned supermarket in suburban Forest Park, to develop a smaller-format grocery store designed to provide fresh, healthy and affordable food options in underserved communities, according to the organization.

Aldi’s closure in November 2024 came as a surprise to the community, including Ald. Ronnie Mosley (21st), who at the time said company representatives had assured the community it was there to stay. Aldi has closed locations across Chicago in recent years — many in neighborhoods deemed food deserts.

“When Aldi left West Pullman, I promised residents that we would not stop fighting to bring quality food options back to our community,” Mosley said in a statement. “This is no longer an idea. It is a project moving through predevelopment. There is still work to be done, and we are undertaking that work with a committed development partner, an experienced grocery operator and the support of the city of Chicago.”

The grant will help fund predevelopment, including architectural and civil drawings, consulting services and a general store layout and operations plan. The new store is projected to open in spring 2027.

Melody Winston, senior executive at Living Fresh Market, said grocers and communities build connections, and she is ready to help rebuild those in West Pullman. Living Fresh Market is one of only a handful of Black-owned supermarkets in the United States, according to a 2024 Crain’s report. 

“I am looking forward to building that bond and that relationship with the community so that we can properly serve their needs and hear what things they need,” Winston said. 

Winston said Living Fresh Market will operate the new West Pullman grocer, which will feature a diverse selection of vendors offering fresh and organic produce. She hopes to see a direct relationship between the two stores.

“We want to use [Living Fresh Market] as a feeder to give produce, meat and fresh items to the West Pullman store,” she said. 

The project’s partners hope the West Pullman storefront can serve as a replicable model for other urban areas facing similar barriers to fresh food access. Abraham Lacy, president of the Far South Community Development Corporation, called the partnership an important step to addressing longstanding food access challenges. 

“By working alongside experienced operators like Melody Winston, and with the support of Ald. Mosley and the city of Chicago, we are creating a sustainable grocery model that prioritizes both health and economic development,” Lacy said in a statement. 

The Far South Community Development Corporation plans to submit a full Community Development Grant application for additional city funding in August once predevelopment work is complete, a spokesperson said.

Additional details regarding the development timeline and community engagement efforts are expected to be announced this summer.

The Far South Community Development Corporation is also overseeing the 12-acre redevelopment of a former Jewel grocery store and Halsted Mall — across the street from the former Aldi location — into the Morgan Park Commons, a transit-oriented, affordable housing and retail project that will include a performing arts center and a 2-acre park that connects to the Major Taylor Trail. The City Council approved plans to rezone land at 11400-11458 S. Halsted St. for the project in December.