Originally posted: January 28, 2008
New market opens at Grand and Noble
Posted by Robin Mather Jenkins
In 2006, Cassie Green and Gary Stephens stepped out of their West Town home in search of ice cream. They ended up at the nearby Shell gas station.
That was the start of a conversation about the need for a small grocery in their neighborhood.
"I told Gary, 'I just wish there was a cute little place to get ice cream and produce' and he said, 'Hey, maybe that's your calling,' " Green said.
Last Wednesday, with an hand-written open sign taped to the storefront at 1402 W. Grand, Green and Stephens, who are engaged, grinned from ear to ear as they answered questions about their already-busy Green Grocer Chicago.
In addition to Ciao Bella gelato, the 900-square-foot storefront has a sparse but growing selection of organic and locally produced food.
(One exception: Gates Barbecue Sauces, which, like Green, hail from Kansas City. It's neither organic nor locally grown, but it is good, she says.)
Green moved to Chicago in recent years and months ago kicked a successful corporate job to the side to begin this venture.
By working primarily with Midwestern sources, Green, 30, and Stephens, 33, say they get to know the food providers while reducing harmful carbon emissions that come with long-distance travel.
Green is particularly proud of working with Afterthought Farms near Springfield. That's where the chicken, to be offered fresh or frozen, will come from.
"They're such great people. They buy organic feed and they let chickens live chicken lives -- moving around, scratching around," Green said. "And what's cool is I've been there and I can say to customers, 'I've seen it.' "
While the couple, who will wed in May, recognize they're not going to be the Jewel or Dominick's of the neighborhood, they know they are a step-up from the standard convenience store, with organic fruits and vegetables, chlorine-free diapers, dog treats and even frozen Frontera pizzas.
All this good stuff doesn't come cheap. The couple's research shows that since 2000, average household incomes in West Town have grown 30 percent. The neighborhood has some of the highest property values in the city.
Green laughs when asked about her last name, which screams environmental friendliness.
"I told my mom, 'This is what I'm destined to be,' " she said.
Her eco-friendly theme extends beyond her name and the store's inventory.
They've installed bamboo floors and recycled refrigeration compartments and used less toxic, low V.O.C. (Volatile Organic Compounds) paints on the walls .
The checkout counter is made from wood salvaged from a century-old church.
The couple hopes to have a license by year's end to sell wine and beer.
Kevin Watt, a 38-year-old West Town who doesn't have a car, says Green Grocer will be more convenient than his beloved Stanley's Fruit and Vegetables on Elston.
"It's great," he said, noting that his wife had been keeping a close eye on the store's progress. "I don't have a preference, but my wife, she likes to buy organic."