It’s old news to many of you that Dominick’s announced Friday that it’s closing 14 stores in the Chicago area, including 3 in the city: 3300 W. Belmont, 6623 N. Damen, and 5829 S. Archer.
I’ll miss the one on Belmont, since I often stop there just before hitting the Kennedy on my way home. This store was threatened with closing once before, but brought in an entirely new staff. Under the new management it offered the best, friendliest service I’ve experienced at any chain supermarket in the city. Great service, however, doesn’t appear to have been enough to keep it alive.
What, if anything, do these closings have to say about the health of the neighborhoods they’re located in? Is Dominick’s, for example, betting against continued growth in Avondale?