Go Grocer Widens Chicago Presence

Go Grocer is on the go in the Windy City. The Chicago chain that marries convenience, fresh-to-go foods and ultra-fast delivery announced this week that it is opening a new location in the Old Town neighborhood on the city’s north side. The store, set to welcome shoppers the first week of November, is now the 14th Go Grocer in Chicago and is located at 1325 N. Wells Street.

Go Grocer has continued to expand as other rapid-delivery businesses have faltered, crediting its “bootstrapped” business model and its offerings of curated locally-sourced items, fresh produce, meat and dairy products, chef-prepared fresh meals and rapid free delivery from a native app. The independent retailer was founded by brothers Paul Stellatos and Greg Stellatos, who started with a small store in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood more than 15 years ago.

“As the average urban shopper continues to make less visits to big box grocery stores, Go Grocer continues to position itself successfully to capture a larger share of their wallet. We continue to show strong numbers on the strength of our omnichannel approach,” Paul Stellatos told Progressive Grocer.

Although Old Town will be a competitive mini-market, with a new Whole Foods and a soon-to-open Dom’s Kitchen and Market, Stellatos said that the city’s residents have fueled Go Grocer’s expansion. “Chicagoans, by nature, are very supportive of local businesses and we’ve been very fortunate to be embraced with open arms. We maintain one of the strongest independent brands in Chicago and our delivery app continues to be the de facto option for locals,” he said.

Stellatos also shared that shoppers in other areas will get a chance to check out the Go Grocer experience. “We certainly aren’t done, though, as we have plans for another 15 locations, all while we continue to stay bootstrapped. And we will be opening our first store outside Chicago next month," he reported. Details on that opening will be forthcoming, he added.