A grocery store pop-up has opened in West Garfield Park, Chicago, offsetting a "food desert" effect caused by the temporary closure of a Save A Lot store. Situated at 4316 W. Madison Street, the pop-up delivers essential and reasonably priced groceries to a historically underserved community until December 21. It owes its existence to the combined efforts of West Side United, the Garfield Park Community Council's Rite to Wellness Collaborative, and the Blackhawks Foundation, the latter of which allocated $50,000 from a $250,000 commitment to the West Side.
A variety of affordable, fresh, and non-GMO items are for sale, from locally crafted jams and salsas, fresh produce, meats, and canned goods, to soups, pastas, baked goods, and household items. The community-centric project has seen Angela Taylor, wellness coordinator for the Garfield Park Community Council, utilizing local data and feedback to facilitate the sale of most-needed products. Prices have been set in consideration of the area's median income and distribution costs.
Meanwhile, Yellow Banana, the owner of the currently closed Save A Lot store on S. Pulaski Road, suggests an upcoming collaboration with the pop-up to further assist the community during the construction phase. Discussions around this collaboration and the path forward, while the Save A Lot store is under renovation, are in progress.
Local residents have spoken highly of the pop-up and have expressed hopes for its extension beyond the currently announced closure date. Such comments were collected by the Chicago Sun-Times, where locals praised the convenience and the quality of products offered by the grocery pop-up.
With the eventual reopening of the Save A Lot store, and the ongoing search for a permanent supermarket, the people of West Garfield Park are witnessing a change for the better. The co-operation of the Garfield Park Community Council, West Side United, and the Blackhawks Foundation exemplifies a broader commitment to bridging the food accessibility gap in urban areas such as West Garfield Park.
