New grocery store opens in Hegewisch

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

A new grocery store opened this week in Chicago’s Hegewisch community, making it the third Southland community in the past year to regain a major supermarket after years of going without.

Hegewisch Food Mart opened Tuesday in the former Hart’s Foods at 13209 S. Baltimore Ave. in the Southeast Side community. The neighborhood had been without a supermarket since Hart’s closed a couple of years ago. Residents had to travel to the neighboring East Side community or an adjoining suburb to do their supermarket shopping.

The new store is a full-service supermarket. Owners Eric Roque and his brother Brian Roque could not be reached for comment.

Janice Minton-Kutz, former president of the Hegewisch Chamber of Commerce, hailed the new store’s opening.

“We needed it desperately,” says Minton-Kutz. “It helps fill a huge void in the neighborhood. I hope it succeeds. Eric and Brian put a lot of money into remodeling the new store.”

Last year, Pete’s Fresh Market opened stores in Calumet City and Evergreen Park. Both towns had been without major supermarkets for years.

Supermarkets have been busy in the Southland lately. Kroger’s Food 4 Less discount branch opened a store in Dolton last year and has plans to open one in Chicago Heights later this year in the former Dominick’s Finer Foods. That will join the Los Compadres supermarket that opened in Chicago Heights about six months ago. Aldi also opened stores in the Southland last year in Orland Hills and Lansing.

Bamboo Blue closes, Grady’s to open
Bamboo Blue, an Asian Fusion restaurant in downtown Homewood, has closed its doors after eight years of operation at 18147 Harwood Ave. But it won’t be closed for long. A notice on the Bamboo Blue Web site says a new restaurant called Grady’s owned by the Garofalo family will be opening in early May in the same location.

Edible Arrangements in Lansing adds hours
Edible Arrangements at 3422 Ridge Road in Lansing is now seven days a week. Hours are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, call 708-418-000 or visit www.ediblearrangements.com

Deal of the weekend
Ronald McDonald will be giving away coupons for free ice cream cones at 1 p.m. Saturday at the McDonald’s, 17810 S. Torrence Ave. in Lansing.

Bed Bath & Beyond opens in Schererville
A new Bed Bath & Beyond store opened this week at 124 U.S. 41 in the Town Center shopping center in Schererville, Ind. For more information, visit www.bedbathandbeyond.com