Mayor Rahm Emanuel today announced the Chicago Transit Authority has approved an agreement to bring Chicago Market, a grocery co-op and community space, to the historic Gerber Building at the Wilson Red Line Station. The new market will provide CTA customers and local residents access to local, fresh food and was made possible by the $203 million reconstruction of the Wilson Station.

"The CTA Wilson station helps thousands of Chicagoans get to work and school each day and driving new development, jobs and opportunity in our communities," Mayor Emanuel said. "By rebuilding Wilson and partnering with local businesses like the Chicago Market, CTA has brought a new anchor for economic development in the neighborhood that will benefit the community for years to come.”

Earlier today the Chicago Transit Board approved the lease with Chicago Cooperative, which will operate the Chicago Market in newly-restored Gerber building. The historic building was constructed in 1923 was a major part of the part of the Wilson station reconstruction completed earlier this year. The Chicago Market is expected to employ approximately 80 people and include inviting interior and exterior public meeting spaces to serve as a community center.

“We’ve been working with the Uptown community on the Wilson project for years, and they have been clear that they wanted a locally owned, unique business to be a part of the Wilson station,” CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. said. “With any of our leasable CTA concession spaces, we aim to bring convenience to our customers and we believe that the Chicago Market will provide an attractive local shopping alternative for CTA customers, and for people who live and work in the community.”

“We are excited to partner with CTA and be a destination for the incredible Uptown neighborhood,” said Grant Kessler, President of the Board of Directors of Chicago Market. “On behalf of our more than 1000 owners, we thank the Mayor, CTA, Alderman Cappleman and the community for their support and enthusiasm for Chicago Market, and will get to work right away to bring this to the community as quickly as possible.”

“We have seen significant new development in our community, including several new businesses and new jobs being created, as a result of the investment by Mayor Emanuel and the CTA in the Wilson Station,” said Alderman James Cappleman. “We are thrilled to welcome the Chicago Market to our vibrant neighborhood and look forward to working with their team to fulfill this vision for our community.”
Chicago Market will be a full-service grocery store offering a wide variety of fresh foods, packaged and dry goods and prepared foods, offering as many local and sustainably grown items as possible. Owned by the community and democratically run, Chicago Market offers a unique alternative shopping experience where the customer can be a part of the store that feeds them.

The Chicago Market was selected following a comprehensive request for proposal process. The new lease will be 10 years in length with two five-year renewable options. Chicago Market expects to begin work immediately on transforming the empty space and expects the build-out to take about 18 months.

Chicago Market will be hosting a community gathering and information session on May 12.  RSVP here: https://www.chicagomarket.coop/community_get_together. 

For more information on Chicago Market (or to become an Owner of the co-op), visit www.chicagomarket.coop.  For media inquiries regarding Chicago Market, please contact Anthony Todd, anthonyt@chicagomarket.coop.

For more information on the Wilson Station Reconstruction Project, visit transitchicago.com/Wilson.

###