The Impact of Trader Joe's

The South Loop's Trader Joe's at the Northeast corner of Roosevelt and Wabash seems to be progressing quite quickly. As far as we can tell the parking garage is done and the inside of the building is gradually resembling the quirky decor of other Trader Joe's.

We still haven't heard an official date of when the South Loop location is going open, but we wouldn't be surprised to see the doors open by the end of the quarter (maybe September?).

The retail scene in the neighborhood has seemingly been picking up speed over the past couple of months. This is presumably due to a lot of factors (improving economy, increase in residential population in the neighborhood, etc), but could any of this be attributed to the news about Trader Joe's coming to the Sloop?

Seems a little far fetched to associate all of this activity with this chain, but we ran across a post on a Chicago Real Estate blog talking about the new Trader Joe's in Lincoln Park and it's impact on nearby retail:

Not only was Trader Joe's packed on a Friday evening with customers, the popular grocery chain has had another impact: ALL the storefront retail space seems filled on this block by established retailers and services. It's been an impressive transformation with the anchor Trader Joe's leading the way!

Not saying that these are similar situations or that Trader Joe's is responsible for the recent uptick in retail openings in the Sloop, but just throwing it out there for debate.

Regardless, high profile "anchor tenants" are important for neighborhoods and hopefully this encourages other businesses to follow the lead of a proven retailer and open up shop in the Sloop!

(Image from The Chicago Real Estate Local)

Following-Up on the Trader Joe's Rumor

A couple of weeks ago there was a lot of discussion around an email we received about a Trader Joe's potentially moving into the old Sam's Liquor store location (Northeast corner of Wabash and Roosevelt).

To follow-up on the rumor, we sent an email to Trader Joe's and here is what they said:

Sloopin,

We appreciate your inquiry. We are still expanding, but at this time we
do not have any confirmed plans for a location in this area.

Sincerely,
Amy
Trader Joe's
Customer Relations

Not exactly a confident confirmation of the rumor, but I guess they didn't flat out say no. If I had to handicap whether or not this rumor is true, I'd say there is about a 10% chance it's happening.

If you read the last comment of our old post a reader writes:

Spoke with a sales agent for the property management company today (I emailed in an inquiry on the location), most of the area has been leased to a "restaurant" but he couldn't say who/what because negotiations are still under way.

We peaked into the building and there still is a lot of 'restaurant' looking furniture inside and it has been moved around a little (presumably to do some maintenance/renovations within the space).

So that's the update. We will keep you posted if we hear anything else.

TJ Opening Day!

Amazingly, it's been 507 days since we posted "Rumor has it...Trader Joe's Moving into old Sams Space!" and today this officially isn't a rumor (ok it hasn't been a rumor for a number of months, but you get what we're saying).

While it seems sort of silly to get excited about a grocery store opening in the neighborhood, this signifies a bigger trend. More and more businesses/restaurants/bars/stores are opening in the neighborhood.

Although we don't give all the credit to Trader Joe's, we think this news has spurred positive retail momentum in the neighborhood (see post on "The Impact of Trader Joe's") . Simply look across the street and you now see movement at an old eye-sore that appears to be coming down and being replaced with a new building.

Besides this the Chicago Sun-Times states that they're hiring a lot of people in and around the neighborhood:

More than 1,600 people came to the store — site of a shuttered Sam’s Wine & Spirits — to apply for jobs, said store captain Missy Brown.

Company spokespeople declined to say Tuesday how many workers each store employs, but insiders say it can range from 60 to 70.

The privately held Trader Joe’s, owned by the same German company that operates Aldi grocery stores, pays above-union wages to full-time workers, contributes to employees’ 401(k)s, and provides medical, dental and vision coverage to employees who work an average of 20 hours a week and their dependents, according to articles in trade and national magazines. Employees receive 10 percent discounts on store goods, according to the reports.

Forty percent of those hired at the South Loop store at 1224 S. Wabash live within a 3-mile radius, Brown said.

Anyway, enjoy some two buck chuck and let us know what you think about the new store!

Follow-up on Retail Stories

Everyday it seems we get more information about retail projects in the Sloop. Since the volume and interest has been high, we figured we would take a day to follow-up on some tips and comments we've received over the past week. So here we go...

Additional Details About Trader Joe's
Yes, we all know that Trader Joe's is coming, but details about the build out have been slowly trickling in from various sources. In Alderman Fioretti's newsletter a new tidbit emerged:

With the build out of their store and the construction of a new, below-ground
parking area, it is anticipated this store will open sometime in 2011.

We were envisioning an above ground parking lot (even though we were unsure how that was going to happen), but a under ground lot is much better and will help maintain the streetscape better in our opinion. Also glad to hear that it plans to open next year (although the specific time of year is still undetermined).

Additionally, the Trader Joe's South Loop story has been covered by Crain's.

South Loop Wine Cellar
We've received email and comments saying that the South Loop Wine Cellar (1442 S. Michigan) appears to be closing. We recently walked past the store and it appears that this is true. As of Monday night, most of the Wine bins are empty. At the beginning of the year we heard a rumor that they wanted to close up shop, but were having issues with there lease. Anyway, it appears that this is now the case. This marks the second wine store on Michigan Avenue to close up shop this year (see old Sloopin post about Winestyles).

Flavor 180
A reader writes:

A new spot, Flavor 180, is opening in the old Carolina Caramel (1511 S State) spot. There is a banner outside of the space which also reads, "a new take on fast food." Check it out...

We did some searching but couldn't find anymore information. If someone has the scoop let us know.

Willow Church
On Monday we posted about a new Cafe called TLC Cafe on Wabash just north of Congress. It also appears that a Church will be moving in next door at 418 S. Wabash as well. A sign that reads "Future Home of Willow Church" can be seen in the window. For those who aren't familiar with the space, this used to be the Prairie Avenue Bookshop.

Activity at 1400 S. Michigan
Finally we received a comment yesterday about a potential build out at Michigan Avenue Tower II (1400 S. Michigan). We also saw them pouring concrete slabs into the vacant retail space. We're not sure if this is for a specific tenant or if this is just the final (and much needed) step in making this space ready to be rented. Anyway, it was an eye sore and hopefully this means they can finally rent out this space.

As always, thanks to everyone who has been sending us emails, comments, and pictures. It seems like there are some good things going on in the Sloop in regard to retail. It's unfortunate when a business closes, but it's encouraging when more new stuff keeps on coming.

(Hat Tip: ND, JF, and all the readers who sent info about TJ's)

Top 11 Sloopin Stories of 2011: #1 - Retail Rising

It's that time of year and like many other websites, tv stations, newspapers and blogs, we're going to take a look back at some of the most important and biggest stories of 2011.

#1 - Retail Rising

If you're like us, you've learned to be patient with the South Loop retail scene. For years the space has been ready for businesses to come to the South Loop, but unfortunately it hasn't come as fast as we would like. Well in 2011, the neighborhood retail scene seemed to gain some momentum. New businesses coming to the neighborhood significantly outweighed those closing up shop.

The biggest news on this front was Trader Joe's opening up at the Northeast corner of Wabash and Roosevelt. While we don't completely credit the overall neighborhood retail trend to this opening, it sure seemed to change peoples perceptions. We had a post that took a look at Trader Joe's impact on an area of Lincoln park and pondered whether it could do the same for the Sloop.

Beyond Trader Joe's, two other much discussed restaurants/bars opened in the summer but had very different experiences in the neighborhood. In August, The Scout opened on the Southeast corner of Wabash and 13th (the old Opera space). While many discussed whether or not the new sports bar/restaurant fit into the neighborhood, most seem to agree it's doing quite well and has been a good addition.

Unfortunately the same can't be said for Tribute (800 S. Michigan) who closed up shop in December, only 5 months after opening. It was an ambitious attempt and by most accounts was pretty good. Regardless, it never seemed to gain momentum and clearly wasn't sustainable.

The vacant retail space South of Roosevelt saw a lot of food/drink options open up their doors in 2011. Pita Heaven (1250 S. Michigan), Waffles (1400 S. Michigan), Chi Bakery (2135 S. Michigan) added some solid food options to South Michigan while Donna's Cafe (1255 S. State), Flavor 180 (1511 S. State), Overflow Coffee (1550 S. State) and Burger Point (1900 S. State) all opened up on South State.

And let's not forget about Acadia (1639 S. Wabash), the promising contemporary American restaurant that just opened last week and hopes to usher in a new era of fine dinning in the Sloop.

And it wasn't all restaurants either. Sanctuary (1400 S. Michigan), Ur

ban Remix (1468 S. Michigan), H+ Records (730 S. Dearborn), Urban Grocery (730 S. Clark), South Loop Immediate Care (1430 S. Michigan), Victory Barber Salon (1926 S. State) are new to the neighborhood.

And it wasn't all new stuff - Lou Malnatti's (805 S. State), Flo & Santos (1310 S. Wabash), South Loop Market (1720 S. Michigan) and Jimmy Green's (825 S. State) have expanded or are in the process of expanding.

It wasn't all good news in 2011. Entourage man (1355 S. Michigan), Doctor's Choice (1345 S. Michigan), Grant Park Cleaners (3 E. Roosevelt), Daniela's Hair Salon (705 S. Dearborn) all closed their doors while Marble Slab Creamery (1245 S. Michigan) might be out of business.

We probably missed a couple, so please chime in if you know of something, but all in all we would say it's been a good year on the retail front for the Sloop. Better yet, 2012 is looking even brighter so stay tuned for that post (coming soon in 2012).

Who Knows When Trader Joe's is Opening...But it is Eventually!

Looks like there is some wide ranging guesses about when Trade Joe's will be opening (based on our latest Sloopin poll), but one things is for certain...it is opening eventually.

We recently received an email from a reader who notified us that the Chicago (South Loop) location was on the "coming soon" page of the Trader Joe's website.

If you're like us, you walk by and stalkerishly peek into the building hoping for some signs of life. Last we checked didn't look like much progress, but we will continue to stalk this building!

Trader Joe's - The Most Popular Rumor in the Sloop

It's been awhile since we've talked about the most infamous rumor in the Sloop, so what the hell...here is an email from a hopeful reader:

Ok, I'm not trying to fuel a hopeless fire, but a friend who knows a manager at the Ontario location said that they had finally sealed the deal on the old Sam's space, and they are shooting to open in March. Still can't find any thing "official" online, but did find this post on the Frankel & Giles blog from Sept. They are in the real estate biz in the area...

We've emailed Trader Joe's corporate to see if there is any validity to this rumor. If we hear anything we will obviously post it. Our fingers are crossed.

(Hat tip: TR!)

Rumor Has It...Trader Joe's Moving into Old Sams Space?

There has been a lot of speculation about what may or may not move into the empty, prime retail space at the Northeast corner of Wabash and Roosevelt (where the old Sam's used to be) and recently we received this email:

The building manager said that Trader Joe's was taking the Sam's spot and it is all but a done deal. Not sure how good the info is, but figured you might be interested.

We would love to see this and hope it's true. If anyone knows anything let us know. We will keep our ears and eyes open as well.

For some more discussion on this building check this old link.

(Hat Tip: RG!)

A Day for Thanks: We're Thankful Trader Joe's is Coming

On a day where we give thanks to all things, many South Loop residents are probably thankful for this news from everyblock.com:

Trader Joe's #701

Business license details

Location	1147 S. Wabash Ave.
Issue date	November 24, 2010
License type	Limited business license Required for general sales, service and office operations or businesses that do not fall under another license category and are not exempt from city licenses.
Expiration date	June 15, 2012
Structure	Corporation

Good news and hope everyone has a nice thanksgiving!

Shots Around the Sloop: Digging at Trader Joe's

On March 21st, an anonymous commenter posted something no one in the neighborhood wants hear:

Sorry to possibly start a new rumor mill on this one, BUT I was at the River North Trader Joe's yesterday and was told that the S. Loop location was on hold indefinitely. Has Sloopin or anyone else heard the same from any reliable sources? Thanks!

We haven't heard that and hope it's not true. Regardless, we are pretty skeptical as the underground parking lot dig is in full swing and progressing quickly. Here are some shots we took on Monday:

The Great Trader Joe's Dig Begins?

Retail week on Sloopin wouldn't be official if we didn't have at least one post about the Trader Joe's that's going in at the corner of Roosevelt and State. As you may or may not remember, one of the "contingencies" for TJ's to come to this location was that they could build a parking lot (beyond what was already there).

In a newsletter from Alderman Fioretti, it sounded like the plan was to build a parking garage underneath the building. As we said then and will say again, we're not really sure how (or if) that's really going to happen but it appears some form of construction project is beginning:

After we snapped these pictures they put up a green construction fence which has a sign for Bovis on it. So it looks official in our mind. As always we will keep our eyes fixated on this project and try to monitor updates accordingly.

Finally, it also appears that the inside has been cleaned out and some contsruction has begun there as well (we noticed one of the backwalls has a huge hole in it). Besides that nothing major at this point, but good to see some movement within the building.

Heard Around the Sloop: Trader Joe's to Open in the Fall

A reader writes:

One of the construction workers at the Trader Joe's site told me today that he estimates that the parking garage will be done in August and the actual store in September or October.

That seems reasonable and feasible to us, but haven't heard anything formal about the actual opening. Stay tuned, we will be following this one closely! (Hat tip: BH!)

Trader Joe's Opening on September 9th

From the Chicago Sun-Times:

Trader Joe’s, the specialty grocer known among foodies for its fanciful imports, organic foods and $1.99 bottled wines that earned the nickname “Two Buck Chuck,” will open its South Loop store at 1146 S. Wabash on Sept. 9.

Come to the South Loop Sidewalk Sale this Saturday (8/11) Next to Trader Joe's

A reader writes:

We live in the Sloop and a few of the buildings around us are hosting a sidewalk sale this Saturday. Only residents of those participating buildings are allowed to sell but we invite the rest of the neighborhood to come buy and browse our treasures! 

Details: When: Saturday, August 11, 2012
Where: Small parking lot directly north of Trader Joe's
Time: 8am - 3pm

Should be fun...enjoy!

(Hat tip:  CC!)

Good Times in the Sloop: Mariano's Opens at 1615 S. Clark

Mariano's at 1615 S. Clark - Opening Night Party

Sloopers rejoice - another highly anticipated grocery store has opened up a glistening, brand new store in the South Loop.  Mariano's is officially open at 1615 S. Clark!

That makes our neighborhood one with a plethora of grocery stores.  Mariano's moves into a crowded space with competitors such as Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Dominick's, Jewel and Target all within a quarter of a mile of each other (not to mention all the other "specialty convenience" stores spattered around the neighborhood).

If the above seems silly, it's because in our opinion it is slightly silly to get super excited about a grocery store opening up.    

But that's fine, because it shows that the neighborhood has evolved.  Back in 2010, the number one story we had on our site was about the opening of Trader Joe's (according to Google Analytics).  Now while we assume everyone is happy about Mariano's opening it seems like the Sloop is bigger and better than the opening of a fancy new grocery store.

Don't get us wrong, we're excited to have the new store open.  But it's not the most exciting thing going on in the Sloop.  Residential and commercial real estate has begun to pick up.  Positive press continues to sprout up.  The neighborhood discourse seems to be encouraging and best of all there seems to be genuine pride on every block throughout the neighborhood.

So yes, Mariano's opening is good news.  But remember the Sloop is on the up and up!

Oh and about the Mariano's (via Press Release):

Roundy’s, Inc. (“Roundy’s”) (NYSE: RNDY), a leading grocer in the Midwest, tomorrow will open Mariano’s South Loop – its 12th Chicagoland location – adding 425 new jobs to the Chicago economy and bringing the vibrant neighborhood fresh seasonal produce, organic meats and specialty local offerings that are part of Mariano’s signature grocery experience.  

The new store, located at 1615 S. Clark Street will feature popular products from local gourmet food purveyors, like Grandma Maude’s and Esther’s Authentic Foods, as well as 200 organic choices in produce, a meat department with a specialty grill station, and fresh artisan breads baked daily.

And as you may or may not be able to see in the picture above, they threw a grand opening party last night.

Congrats to Mariano's on the opening.  Good times in the Sloop!

Additional Info:  Here is a nice video done by NBC5.  Talks about Mariano's but also has good things to say about the South Loop's growth.

(Old Sloopin Mariano's Link)

(Hat tip: TW!)

"South Loop On the Verge of an Eatery Expansion"

If you've read Sloopin over the past couple of months you will recall that their are a decent amount of new restaurants and bars scheduled to open this year. Today we stumbled across a positive Metromix article in the Red Eye that broadcasted this news:

Census figures show that between 2000 and 2010, the area’s population increased by 74 percent, bringing it to 40,000 residents—who are apparently pretty hungry. With the recent arrival of TLC Cafe, Overflow Coffee Bar and Flavor 180, the South Loop seems to be on the verge of an eatery expansion. “The new residents are mostly upscale and younger—in the age range that will go out to restaurants, bars and clubs,” Thomas said.

Within the article you will find brief updates on some highly anticipated places that are supposed to open this year including:

• The Scout (1301 S. Wabash) - rumored opening in June


• Tribute (800 S. Michigan) - rumored opening in June


• Ryan McCaskey's new restaurant (1639 S. Wabash) - rumored opening in September


• Trader Joe's (Corner of Wabash and Roosevelt) - rumored opening in Q3 2011


• Mainstay Hospitality/Kendal Duque restaurant (1416 S. Michigan) - opening TBD

None of these places are a surprise to knowledgeable Sloopers and not a ton of new information in the article. Regardless, it's nice to have a positive article bringing attention to the neighborhoods retail/dinning/night life scene. Let's not get ahead of ourselves, but hopefully this momentum continues and we don't take one step forward and two steps back.

Here are some interesting tidbits in the article that we found interesting:

• Trader Joe's corporate office said the store is scheduled to open in Q3 of this year


• No news on the old Grace O'Malley's space...we hope we hear more soon...


• At McCaskey's restaurant you will be able to watch the chef and sous chef


• Tribute will have locally made hard liquor (we're hoping they have 18 vodka from South Bend...it's good stuff)


• The Scout will have 10 patio tables

These are probably the 5 highest profile openings this year in the Sloop, but let's not forget their are some others as well (like the new breakfast/brunch spot at 1400 S. Michigan or Pita Heaven at 1250 S. Michigan). Good news and glad to see some positive attention for the Sloop!

Retail Roundup: Roosevelt Collection Demolition and More

Over the past week we noticed various developments with retail establishments around the Sloop and thought we would kick-off the week with a recap.

Roosevelt Collection Demolition

When the new owners of Roosevelt Collection bought the property they mention that they thought there was a lot of potential, but that they were going to raze the never-occupied buildings in the middle.

Well it appears that this is happening judging by the picture above.

Hopefully this means retail will be coming soon. We haven't heard anything, but we try to remain optimistic.

Flo & Santos Expanding?

A perceptive reader emailed us with a picture of construction equipment presumably digging to lay a foundation at the back of the current building housing Flo & Santos (1310 S. Wabash). It looks like they're expanding back to presumably allow for more seating. Anyone have any updates?

We were hoping that they would expand to the vacant piece of land just to the North, but it appears that will not be the case.

Trade Joe's is Looking Good

No new news here, but the outside and inside of Trader Joe's is looking good. The signs are up, the inside is painted and the shelves are stocked. A sign on the window says they're opening on September 9th which is consistent with what we've heard.

"For Lease" Signs Come Down at Old Entourage Man Retail Space

Not sure if this means that a new tenant is taking over the space or if a new real estate company is taking over marketing responsibilities. Hopefully it's the former. Anyone know anything?

(Hat tip: ND, PB, MT!)

Wal-Mart's and the City - Could the South Loop be Next?

If you're in touch with the local news, you must have noticed the big hoo-ha about Wal-Mart and their foray into various neighborhoods around the city.

As far as we know and have read, Wal-Mart is in the process of opening "mini-stores" throughout the city. By mini they mean smaller than the standard suburban Wal-Mart's. Anyway, the first store is underway in the West Loop at the Presidential Towers (555 W. Madison) and there has been quite a bit of recent outrage about a similar store coming to Lakeview (Broadway and Surf).

Finally, we just read in the Tribune that Wal-Mart is also looking at a River North location (225 W. Chicago). So it seems like Wal-Mart is aggressively pursuing expansion into the city, so as a blog that focuses on the South Loop, we naturally are left to ponder could the Sloop be next?

At this point, it seems like our neighborhood is quite saturated with big box groceries. Look at Roosevelt road. When Trade Joe's opens (whenever that may be), we will have five different large scale grocery stores servicing the neighborhood within 1 mile of each other (Dominick's, Whole Foods, Target, Jewel and Trader Joe's).

Could our neighborhood support another? Would it be on Roosevelt (which naturally seems to make sense)? Or would it be further south (maybe where the old ickes homes used to be)? Would this be good for the neighborhood? or Would this be bad?

We know people have strong feelings towards Wal-Mart, but let us know your thoughts. We haven't heard any plans about them coming to the Sloop, but it's natural to wonder.

Do This: Annual Garage Sale on Sat. Aug 24th @ Empty Lot Next to Trader Joe's

Garage sales aren't prevelant in the city, but the Sloop does have an annual one that's happening tomorrow.  We've been and it's a good time.

A reader writes:

On August 24th, a few buildings are partnering to put together their annual garage sale. It will be held in the lot next to Trader Joes from 8:30am - 3:00pm! Sale items will vary from clothing to furniture to baby items and many more treasures.

(Hat tip: CC!)

A Look Back at 2010: #1 - Trader Joes

Over the final week of 2010 we will be highlighting the five most popular Sloopin posts of the year. This is based on page views from our Google Analytics tool.

Our number 1 story of 2010 from March 25th, 2010

Rumor Has It...Trader Joe's Moving Into Old Sam's Space

Our take now: It's not surprising that this is the top story on Sloopin in 2010. Back in March, many people were eager, but disappointed when it seemed like this rumor wasn't true. However, in November it was confirmed and most readers were super excited (including us). We will see how this progresses, but it should definitely provide a nice shot in the arm for the Sloop!

Finally, thanks to everyone for the amazing year! It's been an interesting one and we couldn't have survived without readers. Keep the comments coming and always remember that your emails are much appreciated around here.

Here is to a happy and healthy New Year!