Mariano’s has been a staple in Northfield, but the grocery chain plans to close its store there this fall, village officials said Friday.
“This is extremely disappointing news,” Village President Greg Lungmus said. “Mariano’s has been an important and valued partner in our community for over a decade.”
Village Manager Patrick Brennan said store officials did not indicate why they are leaving. No other grocers operate in Northfield, Brennan said.
“Anytime you lose such a valuable asset in the community, it’s tough to go through that,” he said. “Hopefully, the property owner will bring in something bigger and better, but change is a constant. It is hoped that Northfield will not be without a grocery store for very long.”
Amanda Puck, a spokeswoman for Mariano’s, emailed, “Our Mariano’s grocery store located at 1822 Willow Road in Northfield, Illinois, will be closing later this year due to the expiration of its lease.
“During this transition, we are dedicated to supporting our affected associates and will offer them the opportunity to transfer to other Mariano’s stores, where they can continue to serve our customers and advance their careers within the company.”
Mariano’s has operated at the highly visible site since January 2014, Brennan said. Before that, the building was owned and operated by Dominick’s Finer Foods for 38 years, he said.
“It’s been a long time,” Brennan said of the last time Northfield did not have a grocery store. “We’re trying to track through the records to see how long. It’s been many decades.”
Mariano’s is situated in an “ideal location” in Northfield and is a very busy store, he said. The site is close to Village Center and a residential neighborhood, visible from busy Willow Road, and just minutes from the Edens Expressway, Brennan said.
“It’s a great spot for a number of retail uses,” he said. “We’ll see what the owners bring forward as concepts. We’re open to considering whatever they have in mind.”
Northfield officials received news of the Mariano’s decision from the property owners last week and from a representative of Mariano’s on Feb. 4, Brennan said.
“We are pleased that representatives contacted the village well in advance of the planned closure,” he said. “Finding a new grocer for this site is important for our residents and the local Mariano’s staff.”
The property owners are excited about the possible businesses that might be interested in the prime site, Brennan said.
“We met with a representative of the owners who is well versed in the business,” he said. “They’re excited for the opportunity to bring something good into town. What this is, we don’t know. They’re definitely not letting any grass grow under their feet. They’re going to list it immediately and try to keep it from going dark.”
Brennan said he is optimistic.
“I am hopeful that we can make something beneficial happen for everyone involved,” he said. “The village staff is very encouraged by the cooperative demeanor of the property development team.”
Northfield does not currently operate a tax increment financing district nor a business development district and is not planning to offer incentives for the Mariano’s site at this point, Brennan said.
“Right now we’re holding on that,” he said. “We’ll see what comes forward and what the options are. We’re definitely willing to work with the owners to make something good happen there.”
The Mariano’s site is accessible from Willow Road via Northfield Road to the west, from Orchard Lane to the east, and via a pedestrian bridge linked to a residential area to the west, Brennan said.
The Illinois Department of Transportation reported that the average daily traffic on Willow Road in 2022 was 28,400 vehicles per day, he said.
Another Mariano’s is located at 784 Skokie Boulevard, Northbrook.
