Dom’s Kitchen & Market announces November opening date for Old Town location

Dom’s Kitchen & Market will open a store in Old Town on Nov. 1, the grocer said Monday.

The specialty grocer, which was launched by Chicago grocery giant Bob Mariano and former Dominick’s affiliates last year, announced the Old Town location, which will be its second, in February. Dom’s new store comes on the heels of its first location in a converted strip mall on Halsted Street in Lincoln Park, which opened in June 2021. At 27,000 square feet, the Old Town store will be 50% larger than its predecessor.

The new location at 1233 N. Wells St. will create 180 jobs, Dom’s said.

The Old Town address formerly housed the only Chicago location of the Michigan-based specialty grocer Plum Market. After Dom’s announced plans to move into the space, Plum Market alleged it was being forced out in a “quiet back-door agreement.”

In a statement at the time, Dom’s executives said they were approached about the location.

“We are surprised and disappointed to learn of this ill-founded interpretation of the move that we are making to the new Old Town location,” the executives said.

In a news release Monday, Dom’s said the Old Town store will feature “globally inspired, seasonally driven, and locally sourced” products, including bakery items from Eli’s Cheesecake and Stan’s Donuts and produce from Gotham Greens, a New York-based hydroponic grower that’s expanding its existing Pullman greenhouse facilities.

Other offerings include a high-end wine library, an assortment of hundreds of cheeses and a wide range of premade meals, including Roman-style pizza, sushi, poke bowls, salads and made-to-order burgers and sandwiches. A coffee bar will serve brews from Hexe, Metropolis and La Colombe; a separated wine bar will host happy hour on weekdays from 4 to 7 p.m.

New to the Old Town location will be chef-made hot foods like mac and cheese and Rhode Island-style shrimp and a custom store-made cake program.

“Dom’s continues to evolve based on our collective team efforts. We all work diligently to excite the hearts, minds, and palates of our loyal and new customers alike,” said Mariano, Dom’s co-CEO, in a statement. “Our work here is never done and we strive for excellence on a daily basis.”

Dom’s said it expects to open “several” stores in Chicago in 2023, although it no longer plans to open a previously discussed store in the suburbs later this year. Dom’s is on track to open 15 stores by 2025, the company’s leadership team said.