CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — At 4316 W. Madison St., just west of Kildare Avenue, the doors to the Garfield Park Grocery Store Pop-Up officially opened on Monday.
The pop-up is part of a Garfield Park Community Council initiative — with support from the Chicago Blackhawks and West Side United — to provide affordable access to fresh produce, meat, hygiene products and other essentials. It first came about with the exit of Aldi from the neighborhood.
“This is the anchor right now, in terms of providing fresh produce [and] affordable food,” said Ayesha Jaco, Executive Director of community partner West Side United.
The Garfield Park Grocery Store Pop-Up will serve as the only grocery store within more than two miles for some residents while the nearby Save-A-Lot remains closed for renovations.
“This is the answer taken on by community to be proactive [and] to have something so that seniors that live within blocks of this location, where we are today, can pull up their carts — not have to take transportation — and get apples, oranges, grapes, butter, eggs,” Jaco said.
Organizers said the pop-up will accept SNAP benefits and will remain open through Dec. 21. Afterward, if the Save-A-Lot is still closed, Jaco told WBBM that the Garfield park Community Council has asked the store owners to help provide residents with shuttle service to the nearest grocery stores.
“To get folks not just here but to surrounding grocery stores, so that they have access,” Jaco said.
The availability of the shuttle service has not been confirmed.
The Garfield Park Grocery Store Pop-Up will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday through Thursday.
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