Local co-op grocery store to occupy CTA Red Line station in Uptown

A community-owned sustainable grocery store, Chicago Market, will occupy the newly restored and historic Gerber Building that is part of the Chicago Transit Authority’s Wilson Red Line station in Uptown.

The announcement was made Wednesday by Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s office, but was previously reported on May 1 by the Sun-Times.

According to the CTA, the lease was approved Wednesday morning with Chicago Cooperative, which will operate the market in the newly restored Gerber building. Some Uptown residents had been concerned the space would be leased to a fast-food restaurant.

“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,” said CTA President Dorval R. Carter Jr.

“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,” said Carter.

The market will be a full-service grocery store and is expected to employ about 80 people, according to the mayor’s office. It is expected to open in about 18 months.

On Saturday, the market will host a community gathering session at 2 p.m. at Nick’s on Wilson.

The Wilson station recently underwent a $203-million rebuild, which included installing elevators and demolishing 13 old track support columns.