Mariano's grocery store coming to Lake Zurich
An upscale grocery chain that is making a name for itself in Illinois will soon make another grand appearance in the suburbs.
Plans are under way to construct a 74,000-square-foot Mariano's Fresh Market grocery store on the northwest corner of Route 22 and Quentin Road in Lake Zurich, after a village board vote Monday night approving the project. Along with Mariano's, PNC Bank and Chase Bank will develop drive-through facilities at the site.
Steve Pagnotta, president of Bradford Real Estate Co., led a short presentation Monday to discuss the site plan, architectural plans, and traffic-related issues.
“People tend to go to grocery stores multiple times a week and want convenient banking,” Pagnotta said. “That's just the way people bank and shop these days.”
Trustee Tom Poynton was concerned with the addition of more banks in the village, especially putting two on the same property.
Pagnotta said the two large national banks did market research and saw a need for financial institutions for the location. Mariano's will not have a bank inside its facility.
Dan Farrell, vice president of Roundy's Supermarket Inc., Mariano's Fresh Market's parent company in Wisconsin, said the new supermarket would prevent residents from having to make three or four trips to the store each week.
“We want customers to have a very interactive, upbeat shopping experience so they can feel like it's a pleasure rather than a weekly duty,” Farrell said.
Roundy's Inc. is the largest grocer in Wisconsin and operates 159 grocery stores, including 93 Pick 'n Save locations. It reported a 2 percent increase in net sales in 2011 to more than $3.84 billion.
Farrell said Roundy's Inc. hopes to add three more stores to Illinois this year, with an overall goal of averaging five new stores per year.
Mariano's has store locations in Vernon Hills, Palatine and Arlington Heights and two in Chicago.
Dale Perrin, executive director of the Lake Zurich Area Chamber of Commerce, said bringing in more high-class businesses will help the economic development of Lake Zurich.
“(Mariano's) is upscale and will fit perfectly in the community. It's certainly much more appropriate than having empty vacant buildings,” Perrin said.
Mariano's has a targeted opening date of Jan. 1.