In 2022, city officials took a decisive but controversial step in dealing with a growing food desert on the West Side.
Former Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration got authority from the City Council to acquire a shuttered Aldi supermarket at 3835 W. Madison St. for $700,000. The grocer angered many in West Garfield Park when it closed the store in 2021, citing its unusually high expenses, much of it owing to theft and security.
