West Englewood Residents Get a Seat at the Table: New Survey Asks What Should Replace the Neighborhood's Shuttered Grocery Store
By Socialhood News · West Englewood ·
West Englewood and Englewood residents have watched their neighborhood grocery options disappear one by one — first Whole Foods, then Save A Lot. Now, for the first time, the community is being formally asked what it wants to see fill that void.
A new public survey launched this week gives residents a direct line to shape what replaces the Save A Lot store that recently closed at an Englewood property, according to a Block Club Chicago report published October 19, 2026. The survey, backed by local officials, is designed to help decision-makers understand the community's needs as they weigh potential new uses for the site — a question that touches on one of the most persistent and frustrating realities facing Greater Englewood: access to fresh, affordable groceries.
The closure of Save A Lot follows the earlier departure of Whole Foods from the same property, a one-two punch that has left a significant gap in the neighborhood's food retail landscape. For a community where residents have long traveled well beyond their blocks to reach a full-service grocery store, the question of what comes next is far from abstract — it is a daily quality-of-life issue. The survey is an acknowledgment that residents themselves should have a voice in how that hole gets filled.
The survey effort lands at a moment when West Englewood and the broader Greater Englewood area are in the middle of a wider conversation about neighborhood investment and who benefits from it. Community organizations including the Resident Association of Greater Englewood (RAGE) and Grow Greater Englewood have remained active anchors in that conversation, hosting everything from members-only meet-ups to planning sessions tied to corridor redevelopment. RAGE's upcoming "Re-Up at 59th & Racine" pop-up event, scheduled for October 30, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., reflects that same spirit: showing up, staying local, and building from within.
Food access is not a new struggle for Englewood. Advocates and residents have raised the alarm about grocery deserts on the South Side for years, and the revolving door at this particular property has become something of a symbol for how difficult it is to attract and retain the kind of retail that a neighborhood actually needs. What makes this survey moment different is the explicit invitation for community input before decisions are made — not after.
If you live in or near West Englewood, filling out the survey is one of the most direct ways to influence what lands at this site. Block Club Chicago reported that feedback from the survey will help officials understand the area's needs as they evaluate options for the property. Watch the 16th Ward office of Ald. Stephanie Coleman and local organizations like RAGE (ragenglewood.org) for the survey link and updates on next steps. And if you want to stay connected to the broader community organizing happening on the ground, mark your calendar for RAGE's Re-Up pop-up at 59th & Racine on October 30 — a free, open community gathering running from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Sources:
1. https://blockclubchicago.org/category/englewood-chatham/englewood/
2. https://ragenglewood.org/