OLD TOWN — Chicago's first Plum Market grocery store is set to open Wednesday with loads of organic goods, a wine bar, sushi counter and an attached Intelligentsia coffee shop.
The 27,000-square-foot store at 1233 N. Wells Street will also feature a large selection of eat-in and carryout foods made fresh on site as well as a Swirlberry frozen yogurt stand.
"The southern part of Old Town is rapidly changing and we are glad to be a part of it," said Karen Kromrei, Plum Market's director of operations in Illinois.
Kromrei said the Michigan-based company hopes to open a second store in Chicago and a third somewhere in the suburbs as it makes its expansion into Illinois.
The first Illinois location will have a heavy local focus including sushi from chef Takashi Yahihashi of Takashi and Slurping Turtle, a section of breads baked by Chicago bakers, Zingerman's products shipped in daily from Ann Arbor and even doughnuts from Glazed and Infused.
Aside from food and groceries, Plum Market will include a large wine and liquor section.
They will carry 900 bottles in the store, which features a climate-controlled wine cellar.
The store also has a large beer selection, with many local breweries represented.
"We know Chicago is a serious wine town," Kromrei said. "We also know it's a serious beer town."
Plum Market's three other locations are all in Michigan, with one in Ann Arbor and two in Bloomfield, a suburb of Detroit.
The store will host a grand opening at 9 a.m. Wednesday morning and will have free coffee from Intelligentsia from 9-11 a.m. as well as live music and gift bags for the first 500 guests who sign up for a "myRewards" card.
The store and Intelligentsia are directly under the newly completed 1225 Old Town high-rise apartment complex.
There will be free one-hour garage parking for the stores' customers.
