The Crusader Newspaper Group

Yellow Banana seeking local operators and products as it prepares to reopen shuttered grocery site in Englewood

Company to Identify Local Vendors to Operate Bakery, Hot Foods and Juice Bar Inside Store

Yellow Banana, LLC has inked an agreement to reopen the Englewood grocery site previously operated by Whole Foods Market. The new store, which will be operated as a Save A Lot, will ensure access to healthy and affordable options through an assortment of fresh and organic produce, meat cut daily in store, and a curated selection of local, national and private label products.

Yellow Banana is collaborating with members of the Englewood community and business associations to identify local operators to manage the bakery, hot foods, and juice bar stations inside the store. Local vendor products are also being reviewed. Interested potential vendors or those looking to submit a product for consideration should contact [email protected].

Additionally, Yellow Banana is in the process of hiring employees for this location from within the Englewood community.

The Englewood store marks Yellow Banana’s continued commitment to ensuring quality, affordable food options remain available to residents on Chicago’s South Side. Separately, Yellow Banana has received City approval of $13.5 million in funding to revamp or reopen six other stores on Chicago’s South and West Sides. No city grant funding is being used at the Englewood site.

Yellow Banana – which currently owns and operates more than 30 stores in Cleveland, Chicago, Milwaukee, Jacksonville and Dallas – endeavors to deliver essential nutrition at affordable prices. Yellow Banana seeks to be the partner of choice for cities working to find solutions to food insecurity.

“Where people grow up or live should not determine their access to healthy, affordable food options. We are excited to provide the residents of the Englewood community with a quality grocery experience and look forward to engaging with them as we determine the appropriate offerings for this location. We understand that local engagement and collaboration will make this store a success,” said Yellow Banana co-founder Michael Nance.

Yellow Banana, as well as the property developer DL3 Realty, are optimistic about the future success of the site because of the surrounding development through INVEST South/West that will bring increased commercial activity, housing density and public realm improvements to the corridor. Englewood INVEST South/West projects include the Englewood Connect culinary food hub, the Thrive Englewood mixed-use housing project, the E.G. Woode business incubator, the Go Green Community Fresh Market, and a CDOT led streetscape along the 63rd/Halsted corridor.

About 127 Wall Holdings

127 Wall supports promising entrepreneurs and businesses by delivering the thoughtful capital and operational insight that they need in order to effectively scale. Our flexible investment mandate allows us to provide solutions across the transaction spectrum, from retiring owner- operators in need of complete exits to expanding businesses seeking accelerated growth. Co- founders Michael Nance, Ademola Adewale-Sadik, and Walker Brumskine met while earning JDs from Yale Law School; Adewale-Sadik and Brumskine also later earned MBAs from Harvard Business School. They are joined by seasoned operator and co-founder Joseph Canfield. Learn more at www.one27wall.com.

About Yellow Banana

Yellow Banana is Black-owned retail grocery platform that operates over 30 stores under the Save A Lot banner across the Cleveland, Chicago, Milwaukee, Jacksonville and Dallas metropolitan areas. Founded in 2021, Yellow Banana endeavors to deliver essential nutrition to working families at affordable prices. Learn more at www.yellow-banana.com.

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