On Wal-Mart expansion in Chicago

You know I can't believe that I missed Thursday's CapFax question of the day, asking about whether or not Wal-Mart should be allowed to open more stores in the city. I could go further, should Wal-Mart be allowed to open a supercenter or a store in the West Chatham neighborhood.

I've basically been saying let Wal-Mart in, but I will say that as a person who may not find myself in there every chance I got. Even though there are Wal-Marts ringing the city in addition to one in the Austin neighborhood I can't say I'm a regular customer. I can say I have no problem with any employer coming in looking to set up shop and bringing in new products and services as well as jobs for the community.

I noticed at the CapFax that an image that lists all the location near 83rd & Stewart (the likely location for the West Chatham Wal-Mart). In addition to maps such as this...

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Now to analyze the map and the list of stores that sell food or produce I would throw out those convenience stores or those stores that merely trade in junk food or what not instead of much healthier foods.

That being said, my focus in thinking about doing this post was to look at what stores were available along the Dan Ryan relative to the 83rd and Stewart location. I could come up with perhaps under 10 along the expressway from about 75th to 87th Street. Even better there are some stores that once existed that I would include in the tally unfortunately they're no longer in business to make an impact on the food desert. The only point to be made in listing the grocery stores along the Ryan is to say that West Chatham and the Chatham neighborhood itself aren't considered food deserts.

First off a block or two north of 75th Street is an Aldi. If you go due east on 79th perhaps 4 or 5 blocks off the Ryan there is a neighborhood grocery called the Chatham Food Market (you may have seen a vid about them here a few years back). BTW, up until last summer Chatham Foods was the only black owned grocery store in Illinois, but that changed when the owners sold to non-black owners. These days the only black-owned grocery store in Illinois is located in the Back of the Yards neighborhood on 47th. Of course on 87th there are also the aforementions Jewel and Food4Less right across the street from each other. You could go both west and east on 87th to either Stony Island or Loomis and you will find at both locations a Pet's Produce although that's really a good drive off the Ryan in either direction and outside of the Chatham/West Chatham neighborhoods.

Within that same span however there are about three that are now defunct. Three grocery stores off of the Ryan at various points. One was actually on the Ryan at 75th a Hopkins that has been gone for about a decade and has been replaced by a Walgreen's. Once upon a time that lot had both a Walgreen's and a Hopkins. On 79th, at least one block to the east there was a shopping center that contained a Walgreen's and  Dominick's, but those stores have left within the last 2 or 3 years, the shopping center vacant. On 87th & King Drive there was  Food Basket and they closed within the same time span as the Dominick's and replaced by a dollar store.

Anyway, there are attempts to debunk the issue that Chatham is a food desert, but what about the other issues worth either proving or debunking. Well I blogged about wages last week, but what about the notion that Wal-Mart can suck the life out of a local business community. That aspect of this issue has started to bother me.

I can't answer for certain that Wal-Mart would cause Jewel, Food4Less, Aldi, or Chatham Foods to close up shop when that supercenter is built. Perhaps for a good period of time business will suffer for those particular grocers and perhaps at worst suffer enough to cause those shops to close. Chatham Foods is probably the last of the entrepreneurial grocers in Chatham. It would be unfortunate if they had to close up shop in Chatham because of Wal-Mart, assuming they made no attempt to adjust in an environment that now included a Wal-Mart across the expressway. But in saying that I understand when Ald. Freddrenna Lyle (6th Ward) opposes her neighboring Ald. Howard Brookins (21st Ward) in his attempt to bring a Wal-Mart to his ward.

At the same time, it's hard for me to argue against jobs. It's definitely difficult for me to argue against possibly gaining more revenue from the future business a Wal-Mart can rake in. It's also hard to argue against what Wal-Mart brought to Emma Mitts' 37th Ward because Wal-Mart came in and built a store. Of course with that in mind perhaps a Wal-Mart is better suited for say Englewood or even Woodlawn.

Unfortunately for now, for Wal-Mart supporters and those who may seek Wal-Mart jobs. The battle continues and for the moment concerned business owners can rest easy.

BTW, check out  the Wal-Mart stories at my other blog, The Sixth Ward!