The Spark

the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist

“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx

Chicago Supermarket Closings Leave Few Choices

Oct 14, 2013

Dominick’s, one of the two biggest supermarket chains in the Chicago area, announced it is pulling out of its 72 stores. Some of these stores will be bought and run by competitors, but many will probably close. The fate of the 6,600 Dominick’s workers is up in the air, and many areas are likely to be left without a big supermarket.

Chicago used to be full of working class neighborhoods, whose residents shopped at traditional supermarkets. But Dominick’s has been losing business in recent years to both high-end stores like Whole Foods and discount-like dollar stores, Aldi, and Wal-Mart. Chicago is increasingly divided between rich neighborhoods, where people are willing to spend more, and poor neighborhoods, where people can’t afford to shop at a regular grocery store.

The closing of Dominick’s will deprive workers and ordinary people of the option of having nutritious food available at affordable prices. It is one more step in the wrong direction.