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Read the press release here.

DePaul Whole Foods to Open in 2015, Replacing Dominick's

By Paul Biasco | February 4, 2014 7:40am
 Whole Foods is scheduled to open in the former Dominck's location on DePaul Unviersity's Lincoln Park campus in 2015.
Whole Foods is scheduled to open in the former Dominck's location on DePaul Unviersity's Lincoln Park campus in 2015.
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DNAinfo/Paul Biasco

LINCOLN PARK — Whole Foods Market confirmed that it will be taking over the former Dominick's near DePaul University's campus, but the store won't be open until 2015.

The grocery store chain will move into 959 W. Fullerton Ave., which is owned by DePaul University, after a yearlong renovation, according to Whole Foods.

The high-end market intends to customize the design and inventory of the store "to reflect the needs of our students and the local community," according to DePaul President Dennis Holtschneider.

"This is a wonderful new addition to the campus for our neighbors and for our university community," Holtschneider said in a statement released Monday.

Following the announcement in October that Dominick's would be pulling out of the Chicago market, many students who lived on the DePaul campus worried about where they would shop.

Holtschneider's email to students, faculty and staff Saturday attempted to calm those worries and thanked the school community for its patience.

Acknowledging that many students were on tight budgets, Holtschneider pointed to Whole Foods' "365 Everyday Value" products line of more affordable goods.

DePaul freshman Anna Bailey, who lives a block from the planned Whole Foods location, said she had been taking the bus to Target, 2656 N. Elston Ave., since Dominick's closed at the end of December.

"I'm OK with [Whole Foods]," said DePaul freshman Anna Bailey. "It's better than going down to Target. I'm pretty sure it's better than nothing."