Supermarket first in a string of developments to spark urban renewal in the neighborhood
Crusader Staff Report
Crowds of shoppers on Thursday, March 7 flooded a festive grand opening of the new Jewel-Osco supermarket in Woodlawn, ushering in a new era of urban renewal in a neighborhood that for decades had been a food desert.
City leaders and Jewel-Osco executives celebrated the occasion with a brief ceremony in the produce section, where numerous shoppers marveled at a wide selection of fresh produce and hot foods.
Servers offered free samples of deli foods while customers packed shopping carts with discounted items that flew off the shelves.
Located at Cottage Grove and 61st Street, the supermarket will bring relief to many residents who live in a food desert. The 48,000-square-foot store is a full-service supermarket that will offer fresh produce, a deli counter, ready-to-eat meals and a variety of services for customers.
The store will employ approximately 200 full-and part-time workers when it opens in early March, 2019.
The Jewel-Osco supermarket is one of several developments sparking urban renewal in the Woodlawn neighborhood. A $29 million, mixed-use affordable housing complex on Cottage Grove and 63rd is nearing completion, as the Obama Foundation continues to move forward on its plan to build a $500 million Presidential Center and Library in Jackson Park. There are also plans to renovate the CTA Green Line station at Cottage Grove and 63rd.
Of all the projects, Jewel-Osco is the first development to be completed.
“This is a proud moment for Jewel-Osco,” said Doug Cygan, president of Jewel-Osco, who spoke at the groundbreaking in 2018. “This new location underscores our commitment to providing good jobs, fresh produce and other essentials in order to help enhance a community.”
“Woodlawn is in the midst of a renaissance, and we are pleased to partner with Mayor Emanuel to bring Woodlawn its first full-service grocery store in over 40 years,” said Leon Walker, Managing Partner of DL3 Realty. “This new Jewel-Osco store will bring fresh food options to residents, provide hundreds of jobs to the community, lead to even more revitalization efforts and help ensure Woodlawn becomes a community of choice for families in Chicago.”
