Roundy's Set to Enter Chicago Retail Landscape
MILWAUKEE -- Roundy's Supermarkets Inc., based here will be blowing into the Windy City come 2008, with its first store location at the New City YMCA site at 1515 North Halsted St.
The new supermarket, which will be the first of 10 to 12 locations the company plans to open in the Chicago market within a three-year time frame, will trade under a totally new banner not in use at the present time, according to company officials.
"We're optimistic that we can bring a wonderful shopping experience of sights, sounds, and smells to customers in the city of Chicago," Robert Mariano, Roundy's chairman and c.e.o. told Progressive Grocer. "Something that's exciting and interesting that meets their needs on every level of food shopping."
Calling Roundy's expansion into Chicago "an extremely positive time in our company's history," Mariano said the company's first foray into Chicago will occupy about 80,000-square-feet on two floors, and will offer a unique and exciting shopping experience, focusing on fresh foods such as produce, meat, seafood, bakery, and deli.
The store will also offer a wide selection of prepared foods for all day parts, a large selection of natural and organic products and homeopathic remedies, wine and spirits, an in-store pharmacy, and most likely, a bank.
"As we continue to grow in Wisconsin and Minnesota, we recognize an opportunity to expand into the Chicago market to fill a need for more unique grocers," said Mariano, who said he anticipates bringing some 2,000 jobs to the city once the new stores are up and running. Mariano said he is particularly enthused by "the talent of the people who are in the Chicago area, who can serve and do so very well in our type of retail environment."
Mariano is well-versed on the nuances of the Chicago market--he was the president and c.e.o. of Dominick's Supermarkets in its heyday, and was also the chief architect of Dominick's highly successful "Fresh Stores" a new concept in grocery retailing in the late '90s.
Using this knowledge, Mariano said he has asked a number of his former Dominick's colleagues who played an integral role in the 'Fresh Store' concept, to be a part of his vision for the Chicago market.
"Chicago is an exciting, growing market that is in large part a direct result of Mayor Daley and his policies of providing a very positive economic environment in which to do business," said Mariano, noting that Roundy's new 1.1 million square-foot distribution center in Oconomowoc, Wis. is ideally located to serve the metro Chicago market.
With nearly $4 billion in sales and 22,000 employees, Roundy's operates 153 retail grocery stores under the Pick 'n Save, Copps and Rainbow banners in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois.
The new supermarket, which will be the first of 10 to 12 locations the company plans to open in the Chicago market within a three-year time frame, will trade under a totally new banner not in use at the present time, according to company officials.
"We're optimistic that we can bring a wonderful shopping experience of sights, sounds, and smells to customers in the city of Chicago," Robert Mariano, Roundy's chairman and c.e.o. told Progressive Grocer. "Something that's exciting and interesting that meets their needs on every level of food shopping."
Calling Roundy's expansion into Chicago "an extremely positive time in our company's history," Mariano said the company's first foray into Chicago will occupy about 80,000-square-feet on two floors, and will offer a unique and exciting shopping experience, focusing on fresh foods such as produce, meat, seafood, bakery, and deli.
The store will also offer a wide selection of prepared foods for all day parts, a large selection of natural and organic products and homeopathic remedies, wine and spirits, an in-store pharmacy, and most likely, a bank.
"As we continue to grow in Wisconsin and Minnesota, we recognize an opportunity to expand into the Chicago market to fill a need for more unique grocers," said Mariano, who said he anticipates bringing some 2,000 jobs to the city once the new stores are up and running. Mariano said he is particularly enthused by "the talent of the people who are in the Chicago area, who can serve and do so very well in our type of retail environment."
Mariano is well-versed on the nuances of the Chicago market--he was the president and c.e.o. of Dominick's Supermarkets in its heyday, and was also the chief architect of Dominick's highly successful "Fresh Stores" a new concept in grocery retailing in the late '90s.
Using this knowledge, Mariano said he has asked a number of his former Dominick's colleagues who played an integral role in the 'Fresh Store' concept, to be a part of his vision for the Chicago market.
"Chicago is an exciting, growing market that is in large part a direct result of Mayor Daley and his policies of providing a very positive economic environment in which to do business," said Mariano, noting that Roundy's new 1.1 million square-foot distribution center in Oconomowoc, Wis. is ideally located to serve the metro Chicago market.
With nearly $4 billion in sales and 22,000 employees, Roundy's operates 153 retail grocery stores under the Pick 'n Save, Copps and Rainbow banners in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois.