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When Hyde Park Co-Op opted to take the buyout plan proffered by the University of Chicago last month, we knew that the university would act fast to fill the space with a grocery store that would better serve the needs of Hyde Park residents. With yesterday's convenient announcement through the U of C Chronicle that they signed a lease with Treasure Island to fill the space, it almost seems as though the university had the deal lined up before the co-op's members cast their ballots.
Treasure Island's goal is to have the new store open by the end of February, with extensive remodeling continuing after doors open. Treasure Island also announced that online shopping and delivery service is now available to Hyde Park residents, and that they'll be taking over the co-op's shopping and delivery program to area shut-ins. Furthermore, Hyde Park Produce is set to open a larger location at 1226 E. 53rd by the end of the month. the larger store will give residents more options for fresh produce, meats and cheeses.
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The U of C was arranging the Treasure Island deal before the Co-op members voted and they actually announced it as one of the voting options: Members could vote for the Co-op to file bankruptcy or for the Co-op to be bought out. And if they voted for the latter, the university said they were lining up a new grocer that could replace the Co-op right away.
The Co-op was really on its last legs and everything was pointing to a buy-out. So I'm glad that the deal happened so quickly and that Hyde Park is finally getting reasonable food shopping options.
Honestly, I don't know if Hyde Parkers are going to be any happier with Treasure Island than they were with the Co-op. At least the main complaint about the Co-op, that it's too expensive, certainly won't be put to rest—Treasure Island ain't cheap.
It is nice that they went for a store that will carry a lot of ethnic/international foods, as the Co-op did, which was really its best feature. I assume that's what they mean by "suitability for the community."
It would be hard to do much worse than the Co-Op. I lived in HP last year while at the U of C and the grocery store was a serious disappointment in moving there. It was cramped, disorganized, and service was bad--and not for cheap. Don't forget about the MONTH when the scanners were down and every single item had to be coded in at the checkouts. Somehow I doubt that level of service will be tolerated by a national chain.
Kudos to U of C for getting a new, better store lined up quickly.
U of C, King of of the Hyde Park Kingdom!
p.s. We in Logan Square have been trying to get a grocery store since Hector was a pup!
I remember when a squirrel chewed through some sort of electrical lines so that their scanners were all down and you had to go around and write the prices of everything on a little piece of paper, which they then keyed into...calculaters? Something horrible and slow like that. It was like that for months. Talk about a damn food desert.
So yes, anything, even Treasure Island, is an improvement over that crap.
KrisXI
I think I remember reading about that! Front page of the Hyde Park Herald. All of Hyde Park turned out for the elaborate funeral for that squirrel, ending with a at Lake Mich. burial off The Point were every body then joined hands and sang "Kumbaya" as the sun set in the back round. I'm Sorry I missed it.