Some Englewood residents threaten to boycott Save A Lot replacing Whole Foods

CHICAGO (WLS) -- For Englewood resident Cedric Dupree, the new Save A Lot grocery store slated to open at the site of the shuttered Whole Foods at 63rd and Halsted is an answer to a prayer.

"I'm grateful it. Places like Pete's and Whole Foods, we can't afford that, people on fixed income or struggling," Dupree said.

Store signs went up on Thursday. The Whole Foods store closed in April after serving six years in a neighborhood considered to be a food desert.

"We're excited to see the changes they are making to ensure neighbors can access and save money on fresh, quality foods they will feel good about feeding their families," Save A Lot CEO Leon Bergmann said in a statement.

But, not everyone is sold on Save A Lot.

SEE ALSO | Whole Foods closing Englewood store 6 years after opening was celebrated in Chicago 'food desert'

"It's like the Dollar Store of food. It's, like, cheaper food, but maybe the quality is not there," said Cassandra Bell, a South Side resident.

The new grocery store will be operated by Cleveland-based investment group Yellow Banana, which already operates a total of 38 Save A Lot grocery stores, including a few in the area and nationally.

A concerned Alderwoman Stephanie Coleman, whose 16th Ward is home to the store, expressed frustration over the Whole Foods replacement.

"Are there Save A Lots on the North Side? Are there Save A Lots in the Gold Coast or downtown?" Coleman said. "My community deserves a quality, affordable grocery store."

Meanwhile, Asiaha Butler, who is CEO of RAGE, or the Resident Association of Greater Englewood, said the community was kept out of the decision-making process, and said Save A Lot could not have been the only option.

"This is not the store of our choice. People made it very loud and clear. They do not want this," Butler said.

Last summer, Yellow Banana received $13.5 million in tax increment money to reopen shuttered or renovated Save A Lot stores on the South and West sides. Yellow Banana Co-owner Michael Nance released a statement.

"Yellow Banana is excited to be joining the Englewood community to provide healthy, high quality and affordable products," Nance said, in part. "We look forward to building a deep and lasting relationship with the community to ensure this location is everything the Englewood community wants and deserves."

One Englewood resident and businessman who helped bring Whole Foods to the neighborhood said the new grocery store is a golden opportunity.

"As opposed to talking about, 'we don't want a low-quality store,' we can actually provide the quality of store that we want here in the community," Glen Fulton said.

RELATED | Whole Foods Englewood: Residents disappointed as grocer closes 6 years after opening in food desert'

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she tried to get other grocers to take over the Whole Foods lease.

There is no announced opening date for the new grocery store. But, some in the community who do not want a Save A Lot said, when it does open, they'll boycott it.

Full statement from Yellow Banana Co-owner Michael Nance:

Yellow Banana is excited to be joining the Englewood community to provide healthy, high quality and affordable products. The store we're designing will be a place to sample local flavors, plan a great meal, or even join our team. We look forward to building a deep and lasting relationship with the community to ensure this location is everything the Englewood community wants and deserves. As a Black-owned grocery operator, Yellow Banana is a fresh voice in the Chicago grocery scene. We believe the industry needs to do better for underserved communities in Chicago and that is core to Yellow Banana's mission.

Full statement from Save A Lot CEO Leon Bergmann:

Save A Lot is proud to be a brand that offers high quality, affordable and fresh foods in neighborhoods all across the country. We've built our business around a curated assortment of private label brands that taste just as good as their national brand equivalents at significantly lower prices, and our stores are a destination for both high quality produce and meat cut fresh daily. Our Retail Partners at Yellow Banana took on the Chicago stores with a vision for how the brand could better serve the community and are working to provide a refreshed and improved Save A Lot experience, including the remodel of stores and the development of new locations. We're excited to see the changes they are making to ensure neighbors can access and save money on fresh, quality foods they will feel good about feeding their families.