Palatine Caputo store to see changes under new management

The Joe Caputo & Sons Fruit Market at 2070 N. Rand Road in Palatine that was sold at auction last month will be called Caputo Fruit Market under the new owners, who say they have already begun to reduce prices and increase variety.

Paul Butera Jr., a vice president at Butera Finer Foods, said Monday night that shoppers may already see the Piggly Wiggly name inside the store.

“We've been working with the existing operators to improve purchasing powers, lower prices and add some variety already,” Butera said.

The owners of Butera Finer Foods and Piggly Wiggly Midwest had the $32 million high bid at the May 12 auction for the Joe Caputo stores in Des Plaines, Palatine and Algonquin.

The Palatine village council voted to transfer the permits to the store's new owners. Butera said they plan on continuing the store's operation much as it was before and with the same employees.

“It was a very popular store and location within our community,” Village Manager Reid Ottesen said. “It is nice to see somebody else with experience coming in and taking over with the same operation.”

Butera said after the sale is closed, which is expected in mid-June, the company plans to make some changes to the store's interior to increase the store's variety. Any change to the store's layout would require the council's approval.

According to village documents, the proposed name for the store under new management is Caputo Fruit Market, a subtle change from the existing name.

The store is part of the Fox Fire Plaza at Hicks and Rand roads, a two-building retail center on 5.95 acres. The auction of the Palatine, Des Plaines and Algonquin Joe Caputo & Sons Fruit Market stores in May came after a federal lawsuit alleging the store owes produce wholesalers more than $4.6 million.