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Chicago residents react to closure of Aldi
Alderman Mosley also expressed concern for residents and pledged to work towards bringing back quality food options to the neighborhood.
CHICAGO - Without warning, a popular grocery store has packed up and moved out of the city’s West Pullman neighborhood—forcing an existing food desert to grow wider.
Aldi closed its store near 115th and Halsted on Sunday, Nov. 10 – one year after assuring the community of its commitment to the neighborhood, according to 21st Ward Alderman Ronnie Mosley.
"That assurance has now been broken," Mosley said.
The abrupt closure has left residents and officials, alike, disappointed and concerned for what’s next.
"We’re becoming more of a food desert. We don’t have any local stores to shop and get some of our pharmacy needs, some of our food needs, and things that we need to just make it from day to day," said Melissa Durham-Richards, community member. "People have to eat, that’s a major part of life and living, and this is a representation of what else is next to come."
Shoppers were in the store, located at 821 W. 115th St., for the last time on Sunday, but most of them had no idea they wouldn’t be back.
Mosley said his office received a call from Aldi representatives last Thursday, which provided just three days’ notice of their decision to close—a move that was described to him as ‘final.’
The store’s closure means that accessing fresh food just got a whole lot harder for residents of the Far South Side neighborhood. It was already considered a food desert, and now, Mosley says some neighbors are no longer within walking distance of a store that offers quality foods, meat, and fresh produce.
"Walkability is important to neighborhoods, where are you going to school, where are you buying your groceries," Mosley said. "Here, residents have the option to leave their home, go and shop, and make it back home before their ice cream started to melt. Now can you imagine an hour commute on the bus?"
By Tuesday, all of Aldi’s signage had been removed from the West Pullman location.
"They even took the carts, too," said Tanya Squalls, community member.
On the same corner, Walgreens closed last year. It was then that Mosley said he spoke with Aldi representatives, who assured him they were there to stay and even expressed interest in remodeling.
"It was shocking to get the call out of the blue, not saying they are about to start renovations, but they were doing the opposite, that they were closing," Mosley said.
The news has also left residents, like Squalls and Durham-Richards, frustrated.
"I was on my way here, I looked, and I said, ‘oh my God, they’re closed,’ and I’m trying to figure out why they’re closed because I shop here all the time," said Squalls.
"I come here often, and I see many older people coming, shopping in a smaller compact store, they knew where everything was at and knew what to get and grab, and it was economical and affordable," said Durham-Richards.
The same goes for Abu Bakr Nurruddin, who walks about four blocks to get to the store multiple times a week.
"What's the reason Aldi? Because this is a busy store, people shop here daily," said Nurruddin.
Mosley has pledged to continue working to bring quality food options back to the 21st Ward and is encouraging community members to stay engaged in the process.
An Aldi spokesperson sent FOX 32 Chicago the following statement about the recent closure:
"ALDI has made the difficult decision to close two Chicago stores. The final day of operation for our location at 1836 N. Clybourn in Lincoln Park was October 13, 2024 and our store located at 821 W. 115th Street, closed on Sunday, November 10, 2024.
"ALDI will continue to proudly serve the Chicago metropolitan area at our more than 150 stores, including more than 30 within the city of Chicago, as well as our distribution center and headquarters in Batavia, Illinois. ALDI employs nearly 6,000 people in the area while offering highly competitive (pay) and benefits. The recent closures are unique situations and not indicative of any larger trends. In fact, we recently announced our intention to hire more than 13,000 associates as we embark on our most ambitious growth plans yet, aiming to open 800 new stores by the end of 2028.
"We strive to create an environment where our employees can thrive. We are proud to say all impacted employees have been offered a transfer to a store of their choice and no jobs will be lost. Customers can conveniently shop at one of our many nearby stores, through curbside pickup or have groceries delivered to their door via Instacart and DoorDash.
- 12215 Western Ave., Blue Island, IL 60406
- 13085 S. Ashland Ave., Calumet Park, IL 60827
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"We thank the community for their years of loyalty and look forward to seeing them in nearby stores soon."