Trader Joe’s to replace shuttered Treasure Island Foods in Hyde Park

Trader Joe’s will open its first South Side store in a space previously occupied by Treasure Island Foods, the company announced Monday.

The new Trader Joe’s is slated to open this fall in the Hyde Park Shopping Center.

“We recognize the importance of a grocery store in this location to the community, and we carefully selected Trader Joe’s based on a number of factors, including community input and timeline to opening,” said Angie Marks of the University of Chicago’s Commercial Real Estate Operations.

One of those factors was a survey of 3,400 Hyde Park residents conducted by University of Chicago. In that survey, 1,000 people specified which grocery store chain they preferred; of those 628 requested Trader Joe’s. That was “nearly three times more mentions than any other grocery store and more than all the other grocery store brands combined,” according to the university.

Treasure Island Foods, a family-owned Chicago grocery chain, shut down in October after 55 years in business. The last six locations to close included the one in Hyde Park, in the 1500 block of East 55th Street.

“The need to attract another quality, affordable grocery store is something I have heard consistently from my 5th ward constituents since last fall,” said Ald. Leslie Hairston (5th), adding that she was “very pleased to welcome Trader Joe’s” to the community.