Wal-Mart May Get Another Shot at Chicago

By Kevin Robinson in News on Jun 16, 2009 3:40PM

33rd Ward Alderman Dick Mell announced late last Friday that Wal-Mart will get another shot at coming into Chicago, perhaps as early as by the end of this month. “We’ll see what the consensus is,” Mell who is chairman of the City Council's rules committee, said. Archon Group LP, the real estate firm that controls the South side retail center, has been ratcheting up pressure on the city, along with Wal-Mart, to allow the mega-retailer to develop a supercenter store at 83rd and Stewart. A clause in the development agreement of the Archon retail center prevents any store larger than 100,000 square feet from opening without prior approval by the city. Wal-Mart supercenters are typically 180,000 square feet, and sell groceries along with other retail goods.

The South side Wal-Mart was blocked five years amid contentious debate between South and West side aldermen, who claimed the company brings jobs, and labor and community activists, who claim that Wal-Mart is a drag on local economies and governments. Batavia-based Aldi announced recently that it will open at 17,000 square foot store at the development.