Former West Pullman ALDI location
ALDI has closed its supermarket in West Pullman, becoming the latest business to fuel concerns of disinvestment in the 21st Ward.
The ALDI store at 821 W. 115th St. closed abruptly on Sunday, November 10, leaving residents in an expanded food desert.
21st Ward Alderman Ronnie Mosley reportedly was in talks for a year with ALDI company executives. Mosley said in a statement that ALDI’s “assured our community that they were here to stay. That assurance has now been broken.”
Mosley said ALDI’s leaders said they intended to remodel and expand the store.
ALDI in a statement said it closed the store in West Pullman and one in Lincoln Park and said they are “unique situations and not indicative of any larger trends.”
ALDI plans to open 800 new stores by the end of 2028.
ALDI officials said no jobs were lost as employees at the West Pullman store were offered the opportunity to transfer to other store locations.
“We thank the community for their years of loyalty and look forward to seeing them in nearby stores soon,” ALDI said in the statement.
Customers can shop at the nearest ALDI stores in Chatham, 8500 S. Holland Rd., Calumet Park and Blue Island.
ALDI appeals to many residents in Black and low-income neighborhoods because of low prices and deep discounts on its grocery items. In recent years ALDI has attracted more middle-class shoppers as inflation impacted consumers at supermarkets and gas pumps.
In the past two years, ALDI has closed stores in Auburn Gresham and West Garfield Park. It’s unclear why ALDI closed its store in West Pullman.
ALDI is the latest company to close a store in the 21st Ward without warning. In April, Esporta Fitness, 11520 S. Marshfield Ave., in Morgan Park closed, leaving health-conscious residents concerned about the South Side becoming a “fitness desert.”
In January, Cinema Chatham closed its movie theatre at 210 W. 87th St. Last year, Walgreens closed its store at 833 W. 115th St. in West Roseland as one of 150 locations it closed nationwide.
In April 2023, Walmart Supercenter and Training Academy at 8331 S. Stewart Ave. in West Chatham closed. In 2018 Target closed its Morgan Park store as well as its location in Chatham.
“Despite the setback, my office is fully committed to strengthening the 21st Ward’s economy,” Mosley said of the ALDI closing. “I encourage the community to stay engaged as we seek partners who are ready to make a long-term investment in our neighborhood’s health and wellbeing.”