Jewel's Bizarre New Mascot Is A One-Eyed Monster Named JoJo

By Stephen Gossett in Food on Jun 27, 2017 3:30PM

JoJo / Jewel-Osco

Jewel-Osco is getting into a time-honored tradition from the sports world: mascots designed to be innocuously playful that somehow still carry a slight air of the bizarre/borderline eerie.

The large, red, furry, cyclops (with possible dental issues) who goes by JoJo (derived from the supermarket chain's name) was introduced earlier this month, and as the Tribune notes, some responses to the announcement thought JoJo tipped more into frightening than fun territory.

The cyclops is of course an ancient concept, but it is nonetheless a bit strange to go with a "one-eyed monster" in 2017 considering the slang baggage. But the fact that the name unintentionally serves as a callback to one of the city's most iconic, old school queer artists makes us smile.

Anyway, the nominal mission of JoJo—whose already popped up in stores and will be at an Old Town opening on Tuesday—is to get the little ones to eat healthier, encouraging fresh fruit and vegetables "so [kids] can enjoy those delicious chocolate chip cookies every now and then. Not, rest assured, to startle you while you're unsuspectingly combing through the canned goods.

Somewhere in Wrigley Field a mum Clark the Cub surely appreciates the deflection of attention.

Jewel-Osco

[H/T Tribune]