Dom’s Kitchen & Market Welcomes Shoppers in Chicago to New Food Emporium

A next-generation grocery store built on past-generation successes opened its doors on June 8 in Chicago. The new Dom's Kitchen & Market is led by Bob Mariano,  founder of the Mariano’s chain and former CEO of Roundy’s, Jay Owen of Dom Capital Group, LLC and the great-grandson of Dominick’s founder Dominick DiMatteo and Don Fitzgerald, a former senior executive at Dominick’s, Roundy’s and Mariano’s.

In a statement, the trio said that they are seeking to “elevate and evolve the modern grocery experience” through curated offerings and hospitality.

Billed as a local food emporium, the 17,800-square-foot market in the Lincoln Park neighborhood offers breakfast, lunch and dinner fare and a wide assortment of specialty foods, including pantry, bakery, cheese, wine and spirits offerings. In sync with marketplace trends and consumer interests, Dom’s has an onsite “plant butcher,” an array of products from niche and local brands and a Chef’s Table area featuring demonstrations and presentations from the store’s culinary ambassadors and guest chefs, among other amenities.

The store was designed to enhance the shopping and dining experience for customers. The space includes both indoor and outdoor areas and the exterior features murals painted by a local artist. Reflecting the COVID era in which it was conceived and constructed, Dom’s received Ecolab Science Certification and has an advanced HEPA air filtration system and hand-sanitization checking system.

Technology is embedded in the store layout, too, with electronic shelf tags and near field communications through which shoppers can use their phones to get more information about products and brands.

Plans are already underway for the expansion of the Dom's concept to other locations, according to local reports.