Dom's Kitchen & Market, the experiential supermarket co-founded by Mariano's founder Bob Mariano after he sold that upscale Chicago chain to Kroger, said it is planning a third location in Chicago's River North area.
The 25,000-square-foot store, slated to open next summer, is located in a former Whole Foods Market on the ground floor of One Superior Place, a luxury apartment building. Whole Foods closed the store last year to relocate to a 66,000-square-foot space nearby, according to local reports.
Dom's Kitchen & Market opened its flagship 17,800-square-foot location in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood in June 2021, with a format heavily focused on made-to-order prepared foods and a service-oriented, neighborhood vibe. It followed with a 27,000-square-foot store in Chicago's Old Town area last November.
Dom's seeks to provide “locally sourced, globally inspired, specialty, organic, and seasonally driven items,” the company said in a statement.
“Each store serves as a neighborhood hub to welcome customers to the Dom's brand with its carefully curated market products, chef crafted meals, and comfortable in-store dining,” the company said.
Local vendors at the River North will include Anthony Marano Co., Ayo West African Foods, Linz Meats, The Seafood Merchants, Eli's Cheesecake, Brown Sugar Bakery, and Hexe Coffee. Additionally, the Dom's River North store will feature offerings from several of its strategic partners, including coffee roaster Alamode Foods, Turano Baking Company, Greek restaurant chain Avli, and pizza chain Bonci Pizza.
Don Fitzgerald, who was recently named as the sole CEO of Dom's after Mariano left the co-CEO role to become co-chairman, said the new store would create 150 new full- and part-time jobs.
“As our footprint in Chicago grows, so does the Dom's team, and our ability to support local vendors, serve our community, and create new job opportunities,” Fitzgerald said. “Dom's takes great pride in being a Chicago independent kitchen and market innovating the meal shopping experience.”
Fitzgerald is a former senior executive at Dominick's, Roundy's, and Mariano's. Dominick's has since been acquired by Safeway, and both Mariano's and Roundy's, which is based in Milwaukee, are now owned by Kroger.
Mariano is also a former CEO at both Roundy's and Dominick's, in addition to being the co-founder of Dom's and the founder of Mariano's.
Dom's has previously said it plans to open several additional locations in the coming years.
"We are always evaluating new locations,” said Mariano. “Our commitment to expand our presence within the Chicagoland area remains continuous and robust.”
The other co-chairman and cofounder of Dom's is Jay Owen, the grandson of Dominick's founder Dominick DiMatteo, who Dom's Kitchen & Market is named after. Owen is managing partner of Dom Capital Group. and is a venture investor in food technology and next-generation commerce.
Local leaders embraced the pending arrival of Dom's in the area.
“Dom's Kitchen & Market will be a great addition to the bustling River North neighborhood,” said Brendan Reilly, an alderman for the 42nd Ward. “I look forward to welcoming this exciting Chicago-born business and know our residents will embrace this unique shopping and dining experience.”
Related: Retailers Discuss Targeting the Omnichannel Shopper; FreshTake Plans Georgia Launch.