The Grocery Store Chicago’s West Side Has Been Waiting For

A new chapter in food access is unfolding on Chicago’s West Side, and it is rooted in a simple but powerful idea: every neighborhood deserves access to healthy food.

Forty Acres Fresh Market, a Black woman-owned grocery store founded by Liz Abunaw, opened its doors last September in the Austin neighborhood at 5713 W. Chicago Avenue. For many residents, the store represents more than a convenient place to buy groceries. It represents years of persistence, community collaboration and a long overdue step toward solving one of the West Side’s most persistent challenges: access to fresh, affordable food.  

A Grocery Store Born From Observation

The story of Forty Acres Fresh Market did not begin with a business plan. It began with a moment of realization.

Years ago, Abunaw stepped off a bus in Austin while running an errand and discovered something that surprised her. She couldn’t find a bank, pharmacy, or grocery store within walking distance. It was a stark contrast to other Chicago neighborhoods where these everyday services were easy to find.  

That experience changed how she viewed the city. She began asking questions many residents had long been asking:
Where do people here buy groceries?
How far do families have to travel to find fresh food?
Why do some neighborhoods have an abundance of options while others have almost none?

That moment sparked the idea that eventually became Forty Acres Fresh Market.

From Corporate Career to Community Entrepreneur

Before launching the grocery venture, Abunaw had a successful corporate career. She spent a decade working at General Mills and later worked in sales management at Microsoft. She also holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, where she moved in 2012 after receiving a full-tuition fellowship. But by 2017 she decided to leave her corporate role to pursue a new mission: bringing affordable, fresh food to Chicago neighborhoods that lacked grocery stores.

Instead of starting with a traditional store, she began small. In January 2018, Forty Acres Fresh Market launched its first pop-up produce market at Sankofa Cultural Arts and Business Center. The response was immediate and encouraging. From there, the idea grew. Pop-up markets expanded to different locations. Produce delivery services were launched. Subscription produce boxes became available to households across Chicago.  

What began as a simple experiment gradually evolved into a full-scale grocery business.

The Meaning Behind “Forty Acres”

The name Forty Acres Fresh Market carries historical significance. It references the broken post-Civil War promise of “40 acres and a mule,” land that was supposed to be given to formerly enslaved Black Americans but was never delivered.  By choosing that name, Abunaw reframed the idea for the present day.

Instead of waiting for promises to be fulfilled, the market represents a modern effort toward ownership, economic development and community self-determination.

It is both a reminder of history and a statement about what local ownership can achieve today.

Building a Store Years in the Making

Turning the idea into a permanent grocery store required patience, partnerships and funding.

In 2020 Abunaw partnered with the Westside Health Authority to acquire a former Salvation Army building in Austin. The structure, more than 70 years old, needed extensive renovation before it could become a modern grocery store.  

The project eventually received funding from multiple sources, including:

• A $2.5 million grant from the Chicago Recovery Plan

• Support from the Neighborhood Opportunity Fund

• Additional grants from state programs and private foundations.  

The result is a 10,000-square-foot full-service grocery store designed to meet the everyday needs of the community.  

More Than Produce

While the original concept focused primarily on fresh produce, the final store evolved into a full grocery experience. Customers can now find:

• Fresh fruits and vegetables

• Meat and dairy products

• Pantry staples and household items

• Name brands and budget-friendly store brands

• Local products from regional vendors.  

Abunaw intentionally designed the store to serve shoppers with different tastes and different budgets, ensuring that everyone can find something affordable on the shelves. The goal is not simply to sell groceries, but to create a welcoming place where neighbors see one another and the act of grocery shopping feels like a community experience. Abunaw has even curated the music playlists inside the store to help create that atmosphere. As she described it, she wants the market to feel like “the Cheers of grocery stores,” a place where people know each other and feel valued.  

Fighting Food Deserts in Chicago

For decades, many parts of Chicago’s West Side have been labeled food deserts — neighborhoods where residents lack convenient access to full-service grocery stores. The consequences of that reality are significant:

• Higher rates of diet-related health conditions

• Limited access to fresh produce

• Greater reliance on convenience stores and fast food.

Forty Acres Fresh Market was created specifically to address this problem.

Its mission is simple: increase access to affordable, high-quality fresh food in underserved communities.  

The store also accepts SNAP and EBT, ensuring that families who rely on food assistance programs can shop there as well.  

Economic Impact Beyond Food

The impact of the store goes beyond nutrition. Forty Acres Fresh Market also contributes to neighborhood revitalization by:

• Creating local jobs

• Attracting new foot traffic to Chicago Avenue

• Supporting local suppliers and vendors

• Reinforcing the value of community ownership.

In many ways, the store demonstrates what can happen when entrepreneurship and community needs intersect.

A Model for the Future

As cities across the country struggle with inequitable food systems, Forty Acres Fresh Market offers an example of what community-centered business can look like. It started with a simple observation on a bus ride. It grew through pop-ups, partnerships and persistence. And today it stands as a brick-and-mortar symbol of possibility for Chicago’s West Side. Abunaw often summarizes the mission of the store in a phrase that captures the spirit behind it:

“Fresh food for all, because every hood should be healthy.”  

For Austin and surrounding neighborhoods, Forty Acres Fresh Market is more than a grocery store. It is proof that local vision, backed by community support, can change the landscape of an entire neighborhood.