Walmart In Chicago: New 'Express' Mini-Store Opens In Lakeview

Chicago's latest Walmart location -- a 14,800-square-foot "express" store -- opened Wednesday in the heart of the city's Lakeview neighborhood.

The store marks the city's second Walmart Express location, arriving about three months after the opening of a similarly sized store in Chatham on the South Side in late July. The stores are part of the first phase of the Bentonville, Ark. retail giant's plan to open just under a dozen new stores within Chicago's city limits in the near future.

The store, located at 3636 N. Broadway St., is located near both a Jewel supermarket and a Walgreens store, according to Crain's Chicago Business, and has been strategically located to lure some of those businesses' customers away with their low prices on fresh produce, health items and other products.

The store was initially met with vocal community protest. The Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce posted a blog this summer expressing frustration over a lack of warning they had before Walmart signed a lease for the new "express" store. Further, they contend they say the company's "business practices and ethics in which they operate that leads to a negative impact on small businesses and an entire community."

The store's Wednesday opening was attended by Ald. James Cappleman (46th), whose ward hosts the new store. Ald. Tom Tunney (44th) was also on hand for a ribbon-cutting ceremony, WBEZ reports.

Cappleman said he was pleased with how the retailer reached out to the tight-knit Lakeview community as it began plans to move into the space, according to WBEZ. A Walmart spokesperson said the store would create between 45 and 50 new jobs, including for several transgender employees. During the ribbon-cutting, Walmart also announced they were offering grants to several community groups including the Howard Brown Health Center, Center on Halsted and Lakeview Presbyterian Church.

Of his company's planned Chicago expansion, Walmart Executive Vice President Tom Mars said this summer "there is no venue that presents a better opportunity for us than Chicago. ... [T]his is not the first urban market that we have entered, or pretended to enter, but it is a critically important one to us and we are absolutely committed to doing it right."

Walmart is also planning to open another, larger Lakeview store at the intersection of Broadway and Surf Streets, about a mile away from the newly opened "express" location. That store is currently slated for a spring 2012 opening. Other stores, ranging from the company's trademark supercenters to other "express" stores are clated to open in neighborhoods including West Englewood, West Chatham and River North within the next year, according to Crain's.

Comments

[indiaboyydd]

08:06 PM on 01/10/2012

do they sell liquor wine or beer too?

[chiGrkBoy]

04:52 PM on 12/03/2011

I really don't care. For every one angry "stop the corporations" person who yells out to boycott Walmart, 10 more people go shop there.

Consumers have spoken, and I've seen others complain about empty store fronts in their neighborhoods.

I don't shop at Walmart, but as long as millions do, there isn't much point in trying to fight...especially if the same residents yell for lower priced goods, more jobs (with a "screw unions" motif), etc.

[NorthwestSnowRemoval]

12:31 PM on 12/02/2011

I bet this location is going to receive EXCELLENT snow removal service this winter. ;)
www.northwestsnowremoval.com

[blurredmolly]

10:45 AM on 12/02/2011

boycott it. make sure it doesn't work.

[bmcombs]

08:33 PM on 12/01/2011

I'm more frustrated with the Broadway/Surf larger location. It is difficult enough to get in and out of World Market & Bed, Bath & Beyond. If Walmart is there - forget about it.

[marhenderson]

02:02 PM on 12/07/2011

those stores are going/gone to make way for the new Walmart.

[indiaboyydd]

08:01 PM on 12/01/2011

do the walmart express in lakeview sell liquor too?

[frant52]

04:48 PM on 12/01/2011

So sad! So unnecessary! I only hope that people will boycott this location and any others that open. I know that I will! We don't need more chain stores on the north side and more importantly we don't need walmart!

[bmcombs]

08:29 PM on 12/01/2011

Yes. I know I won't be going there. Very disappointing.

[RickV1971]

02:57 AM on 04/17/2012

But seemingly no one has a problem with gigantic Target stores sprouting like weeds all over the city. I wonder why that is?

[marhenderson]

04:34 PM on 12/01/2011

I thought the deal Walmart cut with the city was to bring the Walmart Express stores in to the neighborhoods that were designated "Fresh Produce Deserts."

How does the new store qualify if you have a Jewel, a Whole Foods and a Treasure Island within 2 blocks of your Walmart Express (not to mention a Walgreens and 7-11 next door and several smaller local shops)?

[corwin]

06:05 PM on 12/01/2011

Thanks for pointing that out! The Non Compete Model has worked well for Chicago politics,public schools and street gangs.Why in the name of All That's Holy would the Smart People do this?

[antonymous]

03:29 PM on 12/01/2011

Oh! I almost forgot to say something hateful about that little weasel Cappleman, the only alderman in the city who beats Walmart's low, low prices. After he and his developer buddies have muscled all the poor out of Uptown, I wonder who will be left to work at Walmart?

[antonymous]

03:22 PM on 12/01/2011

Lakeview used to be such a nice place, too. But I guess all the frat boys and sorority sisters moving in dragged the suburbs along with them.