Fresh Aisles Ahead: Black-Owned Living Fresh Market Set to End West Pullman's Food Desert at 115th and Halsted

By Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/West Pullman · June 26, 2026

West Pullman neighbors, help is on the way at the grocery store. After the Aldi at 115th Street and Halsted closed in 2024, leaving the corner — and much of the neighborhood — without a reliable place to buy fresh food, community leaders refused to let that be the end of the story. Now, a bold new chapter is being written: Living Fresh Market, described as the largest Black-owned supermarket in the country, is coming to West Pullman.

Alderman Ronnie Mosley (21st Ward) has been driving the charge since the day Aldi shuttered. The Far South Community Development Coalition stepped up, acquired the vacant Aldi space, connected with a developer, and secured city funding to make a fresh, community-centered grocery concept a reality. Living Fresh Market founder Melody Winston — a South Side native herself — says she knows exactly what West Pullman residents want: a hot bar, fresh fruits, fresh produce, and fresh meat. And unlike a big-box chain, she's not beholden to corporate metrics that put profitability over community access.

The timing couldn't be better. Alderman Mosley notes the new store will sit at the epicenter of a neighborhood transformation: the CTA Red Line Extension, Habitat for Humanity's new townhomes nearby, and the massive 13-acre Morgan Park Commons development directly across the street — which will eventually deliver 300 affordable units, green space, and a performing arts center. West Pullman is building something real, one block at a time. Stay tuned to the 21st Ward at ward21chicago.com for updates on Living Fresh Market's opening timeline.

Sources:
1. https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/new-grocery-store-west-pullman/