Video: The reopening of a embattled Save A Lot on Chicago’s west side

The first of six Save a Lot stores on Chicago’s impoverished west side — which was at the heart of a months-long contentious battle with area residents — has finally reopened its doors. 

Joe Canfield, CEO of owner/operator Yellow Banana, stayed in contact with local residents and helped make final preparations at the reopened store at 420 Pulaski Road.

Canfield said he stayed in constant contact with neighborhood leaders throughout the process, and several town hall meetings allowed the owner to gather ideas from residents into what would make for a successful grocery store in an area considered to be a food desert.

Construction activities took longer than expected. The location went through a series of upgrades, including new lighting, new refrigeration units, new flooring, and extensive repairs to the existing infrastructure.

The new Save A Lot store features organic produce, meat cut and prepared on-site, and a value wall showcasing inexpensive Save A Lot products.

Yellow Banana received over $13 million in subsidies from the city of Chicago to reopen the store as well as to open five more stores on the city’s south and west sides. The owner and operator will have to return those funds if any of the stores close in the next 10 years.

Openings at 10700 South Halsted Street, 2858 East 83rd St., 7240 South Stony Island Avenue, 7980 South Halsted St., and 4439 West 63rd St. and 832 W. 63rd St. are slated to happen later this fall.

The Save a Lot set to open at 832 W. 63rd St. also faced contention from those local residents after the store replaced a Whole Foods which shuttered in 2022.  

Check out the video of the grand reopening of the store.