A grocery store planned for Peoria’s South Side neighborhood is scheduled to open this summer after more than 3 1/2 years of planning and preparation.
Chuck Brown is the owner of CJ Harvest, a grocery store filling the former home of an Aldi and a Save-A-Lot on Western Avenue. Brown purchased the building in 2021.
“What I don’t think a lot of people realize is, when we took over that building, there was basically nothing there. It was a shell,” said Brown. “Even the condenser was gone off the rooftop.”
Brown said permitting through the city and some remodeling still remain before the grocery store can open. Plans include a barbecue restaurant, a butcher, a bakery, delivery and produce.
The business fills a hole on the South Side that has been without a grocery store since the Kroger closed in 2018.
“It’s a smaller footprint than a Krogers,” said Brown. “But then it should be, that’ll make it even more efficient, so that our business can be sustainable.”
Brown expects to hire around 20 people to begin when the store opens, with a focus on managerial positions. He said the business will be at the Heart of Illinois Community Job Fair on Friday, April 25 at the Riverplex.
“We will take some initial applications because we're looking for maybe two people with some managerial experience,” said Brown. “As far as all the other [roles,] we will take applications if you're interested as a cashier, butcher, those if you have no experience in the area we’re going to train.”
Brown said the interior design has a rural vibe — a farm theme meant to be a tribute to Black farmers, noting it’s a theme the team is focusing on, reflecting the spirit of the South Side neighborhood.
“You can expect a lot of great things,” Brown said. “I believe the neighborhood is going to be very happy and proud of what we’re doing.”
The grocery store project has faced several challenges during its development, including supply chain issues and putting together the proper funding for a grocery business.
Brown said, with the aid of a $1.7 million grant from a State of Illinois New Stores in Food Deserts program, the financing is finally there. Brown called the process a “real bear.”
“Now, it’s really just a matter of getting interior construction completed,” he said.
The CJ Harvest sign [CJ stands for Chuck and his wife Julia)] is in place on the building, and an opening is planned for a yet-to-be-determined date this summer. Brown estimates mid-summer, but no later than September.
