Food 4 Less to Open Supermarket in Austin Neighborhood

New store to bring more than 140 jobs and $5,000 in charitable donations to
Westside Chicago neighborhood

CHICAGO, April 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Food 4 Less, the nation's leading
price-impact supermarket chain, continues to make good on its promise to bring
jobs, charitable giving and the finest in service, quality, variety and every
day low prices to Chicago. Food 4 Less will celebrate the grand opening of its
newest store in Chicago'sAustin neighborhood on Sunday, April 27 at 8 a.m.
The new 58,020 square-foot Food 4 Less is located at 4821 West North
Avenue in the Washington Square Shopping Center. It will be open to serve
customer needs daily from 6 a.m. to midnight.
"We are very excited to cast a vote of confidence in Chicago'sAustin
neighborhood with this major investment in the community," said Jeff Albrecht,
Vice President & General Manager for Food 4 Less' Midwest Division. "At our
new Austin Food 4 Less, our goal is to offer customers the best selection and
the highest quality foods at an exceptional value."
The new store is expected to help boost the area's economic vitality and
attract additional investment and development to the Austin community. The new
Food 4 Less is the first supermarket to open in Austin in many years. The
store is opening in a building formerly occupied by Grand Mart and Cub Foods.
The new Austin Food 4 Less store will employ more than 140 people, of
which more than 100 are from the immediate community. More than 1,000 people
applied for positions at the new store.
Chicago Alderman Emma Mitts, 37th Ward, applauded Food 4 Less for
investing in Austin with the opening of its newest store.
"As we work to improve business and employment opportunities in the Austin
community, we need to make sure that local retail resources are aligned with
our priorities," said 37th Ward Alderman Emma Mitts, honoring the April 24th
grand opening of grocery retailer Food 4 Less in the Washington Square
shopping center on North Avenue.
"In many ways, Austin has long been underserved with respect to grocery
stores. That's why it's vitally important that we establish local partnerships
with retail chains such as Food 4 Less. Today we are pleased to share this
journey to empowerment for jobs and economic development, which will greatly
benefit the residents of Chicago'sAustin community," continues Mitts, who has
long advocated a diversity of options for her constituents.
"It's encouraging when major businesses demonstrate their commitment to
the neighborhood, and this allows us to steadily move forward, despite the
current economic climate. In conclusion, we are proud to partner with Food 4
Less, and welcome their expansion in the City of Chicago," added Alderman
Mitts.
Alderman Mitts played an instrumental role in bringing Food 4 Less to
Austin.
"Food 4 Less received tremendous support from Alderman Mitts and her
staff, which helped make the opening of our new store possible," said Food 4
Less General Manager Albrecht.
Albrecht also praised the City of Chicago's Department of Planning &
Development for its support and assistance in the opening of the Food 4 Less
Austin store. Food 4 Less hopes to open many more stores in the City of
Chicago with the City's continued support.
To celebrate the opening of the Austin Food 4 Less, the store will make
donations totaling $5,000 to Alfred Nobel and Brian Piccolo Elementary
Schools. The store will also have a budget to give donations away locally
throughout the year. Organizations interested in receiving funding can contact
the store for details.
Albrecht welcomed the opportunity to assist the community.
"Food 4 Less takes an active role in every community we serve," he said.
"It is our intention to be a good corporate citizen in Austin. We will remain
open to new ways to meet community needs and to participate in neighborhood
improvement projects."
Austin Food 4 Less shoppers are sure to enjoy Store Director John
Kaminiszan. Kaminiszan boasts 12 years of experience in the grocery industry.
He most recently managed the Food 4 Less store in Evanston.
"We are thrilled with the opportunity to bring quality grocery services
and jobs to the residents of Austin," said Kaminiszan, who began his career as
an hourly Customer Service Clerk in 1995. "We're sure that customers will
enjoy the great selection of groceries, as well as all of the added services
we will be offering at our new store."
Customers visiting the new Austin store will experience the best that
Food 4 Less has to offer, including an abundance of fresh fruits and
vegetables, meats, fish and poultry, and a grocery department stocked with
thousands of products at Food 4 Less' low everyday prices.
In the spirit of offering shoppers a true, one-stop-shopping experience,
the new Food 4 Less will also feature several specialty departments, including
a service delicatessen/bakery offering a complete selection of salads, deli
meats and cheeses, sandwiches-to-go, party trays, and freshly prepared
take-out meals, as well as fresh breads, cookies, rolls, pies and
custom-decorated cakes for all occasions.
Shoppers on a budget will also enjoy the store's large club pack section
and "Wall of Values" area featuring many name brand products at special
discounted prices. The store also carries a wide selection of ethnic foods.
To serve shoppers, the store boasts 14 check stands and offers a wide
range of special services, including postage stamps, film developing,
motorized shopping carts for customers with mobility impairments and
specially-designed shopping carts with infant carriers. The store also has
been outfitted with state-of-the-art energy efficient equipment and lighting,
and environmentally safe refrigeration.
"We believe our new Austin Food 4 Less store offers everything and more of
what customers are looking for in a supermarket," said Albrecht. "Best of all,
at Food 4 Less we offer it all at the lowest prices in town."
The new Austin store is the third Food 4 Less store to open in the City of
Chicago. Food 4 Less' Midwest Division, located in Burbank, also operates
stores in Chicago's "Back of the Yards" and Englewood neighborhoods. The new
Austin store is the 13th Food 4 Less to open in the greater Chicagoland Area
since 2002.
Headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, Food 4 Less operates 146 price-impact,
warehouse-format supermarkets in California, Nevada, Illinois and Indiana.
Food 4 Less is a division of The Kroger Co., (NYSE: KR), one of the nation's
largest grocery retailers, headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio.
SOURCE Food 4 Less

Terry O'Neil of Food 4 Less, +1-310-900-3533