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Urban Orchard Closing, May Be Replaced By Corporate Chain Chipotle

January 21, 2015  /  By

urban_Orchard1The local boutique grocer in Andersonville, Urban Orchard at 5212 N. Clark, will be closing their doors at the end of January, 2015. The small store with an adjoining cafe was founded on the belief that high quality food should be available every day.

Eric Mazzone and Jim Machniak, who opened the Andersonville store in 2012, had a vision of a green grocer for people who wanted to shop at a “farmer’s market” style shop seven days a week. They partnered with several high quality farms all around the Midwest and deliver fresh foods that were grown in the Midwest region. Their store supports sustainable organic farming for farmers and food artisans in Michigan, Wisconsin and Indiana.

With rising rents on Clark St., the smaller businesses are finding it harder to stay alive. Now it looks as though the location could possibly be the corporate fast food chain Chipotle. The rumor is that the deal is just about done. If this is true, the busy blocks on the Andersonville strip between Foster and Berwyn (which were previously void of corporate stores) will see two chains pop up in 2015. Giordano’s is already gutting the previous Ann Sather space across the street from Urban Orchard.

It is a hotly debated issue in the Edgewater area, where local businesses are usually praised and corporate chains frowned upon. “Local First” has been a proud motto and is the driving force of the neighborhood’s quick rise in popularity the last decade. However, many feel the corporate influx into the community will guarantee fewer vacant storefronts and businesses with financial stability.

Any way you look at it, the location’s possible metamorphosis from the local store Urban Orchard to a mega-corporate chain like Chipotle speaks volumes about where the neighborhood could be headed.

 

**UPDATE***

On January 24, 2015, the Andersonville Chamber of Commerce weighed in on this issue claiming that a Chipotle will not be going into the space at 5212 N. Clark.

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  • Rebecca Lee

    So sad. Our neighborhood really needs a good health food store like this. I always felt that urban orchard didn’t take the right advantage of the market. So much space devoted to coffee shop, when there are so many coffee shops in the neighborhood. So much space devoted to alcohol, when there are great liquor storesin the neighborhood that are so much more established. Too bad they couldn’t make it work. I shop there all the time, often buying wilted vegetables with the hope that I could help them stay in business and improve their products.

    • Erika

      ^ You nailed it. Why did they have wine, when Andersonville Wines and Spirits is across the street with a better selection. I’m sorry to see a local business go too, but they were too expensive with their offerings.

  • richwolf

    I am sorry to read that Urban Orchard is closing. I will miss the baguettes. I suspect a big part of the problem is that Andersonville has a high density of grocery stores (Berwyn Jewel, Bryn Mawr Jewel, Mariano’s, Edgewater Market, and PIatto Pronto) each, effectively, located a little more than a quarter mile from one another. If you add the Edgewater options (soon-to-be opening Whole Foods, Devon Market, and True Nature Health Foods)…and the convenience stores (7Eleven, Walgreens, CVS, that little store on Balmoral), I have to think it can’t be easy to succeed. While I’m not against having a Giordano’s or Chipotle necessarily, I’d certainly prefer that unique venues would occupy both the old Ann Sather’s and Urban Orchard spaces, even if they sold something other than groceries. Ah well…I’m going to miss those baguettes…

    • Christa Ward

      If Chipotle moves in, this neighborhood will become something none of us moved here for. This isn’t supposed to become an outdoor suburban shopping mall. Not andersonville. Might as well move back to the burbs.

      • hello

        OK, see you later.

  • Chad R.

    Urban Orchard was a dream to have in the neighborhood. Fit in really well. Very sad.

  • Rrroza

    We really wanted to patronize them but most of the time the things we went in there were unavailable. For instance, a staple like plain yogurt. I dont think I ever succeeded in buying that there. Grocery business is hard, but I think they could’ve managed stocking better.

  • Angela

    Isn’t the new strip mall on Broadway and Foster also supposed to include a Chipotle?

    • Gabe

      yeah i thought i read the same thing

  • Moody Fucker

    Urban Orchard offered little that is actually “local.” Aside from the produce, nearly everything sold are packaged goods from corporations riding the Whole Foods Market bandwagon; and these items are MORE expensive than you can buy at WFM. As for the local produce, this is of generally poor quality.

    Good riddance to bad rubish!

  • gscan

    Let the moaning start. You voted with your feet, folks — there’s no contesting the results.

  • I will miss Urban Orchard very much. I learned a lot there at their wine tastings, once with guests from out of town; it was perfect for forgotten specialty items; and it beat having to walk several more blocks for something missed, liked onions or a can of tomatoes or a great cut of beef. Thank you for your years in Andersonville: you improved our streetscape and gave us neighbors an abundance of options.

  • George

    Went in to buy eggs one day, asked the clerk where they were from. Blank stare. Not a strong sense of locally-sourced, we care about our products.

  • fran tornabene

    Personally, I enjoyed shopping there, it was convenient and friendly! Clark Street will continue to look like a strip mall or food court until neighborhood people stop giving them business! Do we really need chipolte or giordano? I’ve lived along Foster Avenue from Andersonville to Albany Park for years! I held my wedding reception upstairs at the Swedish Villa, a family favorite restaurant that was replaced by Ann Sathers! Then Ann Sathers was kicked out, Icosium went shortly after. The Landmark clothing store is gone.
    When will people wake up? People moved here because it’s quaint and trendy, but where do they shop? Come on!
    Now we have a chance to keep an indie coffee shop on the corner, the coffee is wonderful and the pastries are amazing! Please don’t pass by it on your way to starbuck;s! We have to support Indie businesses!

    • Wewilliewinkleman

      I miss the used bookstores and thrift shops. Andersonville used to bfin 20 years ago.

  • Steve R.

    Is there any way to fight against a Chipotle coming into the neighborhood? I’m being completely serious. Who can we contact to fight this?!?

    • Jorge Cruz

      1-800-TacoBell

  • MarkG

    It would very strange if a Chipotle goes there when one is also going in soon just down at at Foster and Broadway in the new strip mall there.

  • MarkG

    I would love to see maybe Oliva’s Market in Bucktown to maybe expand a create a second location in this space. It’s a perfect alternative but similar to Urban Orchard and still keeping that mom and pop type store. http://www.oliviasmarket.com

  • Andersonville Coop

    DNA Info reported this morning the Chipotle is just a rumor…

    But, does our community want a small local grocer like Urban Orchard? I know
    I do! From the comments of support for Urban Orchard, to the ones from
    people offering their opinion about how it was run and their product
    offering, it is apparent at least a few of you do as well. I am in no
    way capable of being at the helm of starting a co-op, but would very
    much be interested in being a part of one. We could, as a community or
    as members, decide how it was run and what products we wanted. I have
    set up an email at: andersonvillecoop@gmail.com, to see if there are
    others out there that would be interested in a community run food co-op.
    If you want one, could run one, or think it’s a stupid idea please
    send in your thoughts. Maybe the owners of UO could offer some insight
    to the joys and difficulties of running their store. Or tell us they
    aren’t interested in having a food co-op replace them in their building.
    If you are a member of a community garden, or attend the summer
    farmer’s market, what do you think? Andersonville is an amazing
    community, so lets decide, as members of this community what we want.

    • BuzzModerator

      The EVB article says it was rumored. What the DNA article says is that it was in fact talked about. To what degree it was discussed only the players know. The community deserves to hear about it, because if they don’t we will all be shocked when they board up the building and put a giant sign on it saying “Chipotle Coming Soon”. What the EVB story accomplished was getting people to debate about it and not be blindsided.

      • Andersonville Coop

        Definitely! I’m sorry, I meant nothing against your article in any way! It wasn’t my intention to have the comment taken that way. It was actually your article that originally got me thinking about how amazing a co-op would be for our neighborhood. I appreciate you reporting on the closing so quickly and before any other news outlet that I am aware of. I was just relieved this morning when I read the Chipotle is supposedly “just a rumor”. That is what made me want to find out if there was other interest or if I was the only one. I love EVB!!! Again, I’m sorry if the DNA reference was taken as a slam, it was not my intention. Thank you for all you do!

        • BuzzModerator

          Thank you for clarifying and the nice words. It is appreciated.

    • Jesus M.

      Here is a link to a 2013 article about starting a co-op on Chicago’s Northside and the website. You might want to reach out to them and see if there has been any progress made.
      http://patch.com/illinois/lincolnsquare/food-co-op-north-side-chicago-cooperative

      http://www.chicagomarket.coop/

  • Wes Andersonville

    If you want to seriously shop at a great little “green” market that actually has a relationship with local farms, then bike over to the Green Grocer in West Town. The original knuckleheads behind this venture stole her ideas after telling her that they would partner with her (after she supplied them with the business model) and then decided to do it on their own, with no experience. The original knuckleheads sold the business to someone associated with a grocery store in Wilmette. As previously stated, this has been a disaster from Day 1 when they excluded the only person in town who knows how to run a profitable small “farm to grocery bag” enterprise.
    Get over it. The rents are to high to sustain a 100 percent “independent” store front mix. The big chains are needed such that all the storefronts do not remain vacant. So Andersonville, big chains are needed, but be smart about it!!

  • Jorge Cruz

    Edgewater Produce really deserves the business and it is not far away. Their produce is always so much better than the other stores in the area. Its not worth it for me to pay 20 cents less at Jewel for some fruit and vegetables that don’t look very fresh. Their premade guacamole is pretty awesome too.

  • Wes Andersonville

    Why are you fighting against Chipotle? Those large spaces can only be maintained by corporate retail Clients due to the high rent/taxes. The small shops will stay independent if they have something to sell that someone actually wants, and if they are competitive. I am tired of seeing ill conceived business ventures that upon going in the store and looking around for 30 minutes, it is obvious that they will not make it. Stop complaining about the chains. Not all chains are bad. Embrace the good ones. We don’t need a Duncan Doughnuts, or a Jimmie Johns, but I would take an “Epic Burger”!!



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