LINCOLN PARK — Foxtrot, a food and alcohol delivery startup, is eyeing a storefront on Armitage Avenue for its third brick-and-mortar location, according to members of the neighborhood group Sheffield Neighborhood Association.
Though at an early stage, the proposal could face objections from neighbors if it takes shape.
For one, neighbors have voiced strong opposition to alcohol sales on Armitage before. A proposal to build a Walgreens at 834 W. Armitage Ave. was so controversial that Ald. Michele Smith (43rd) imposed a moratorium on alcohol sales on the north side of Armitage Avenue fom Halsted Street to Fremont Street in 2013.
The storefront sits just outside of the district, so Foxtrot can apply for a liquor license. But, if Walgreens is any indication, it might be a tough sell.
Initial reports that the storefront was in the district can be attributed to a discrepancy in the city's website and the moratorium ordinance.
Plus, the storefront sits in the Armitage-Halsted landmark district, which the city calls "one of the finest nineteenth-century neighborhood commercial streetscapes remaining in Chicago." The designation limits the amount of changes Foxtrtot could make to the building.
Patty Hayes, member of Sheffield Neighborhood Association, said Foxtrot has reached out to the group for a meeting, but one has not been set yet.
Foxtrot did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
The Chicago-based startup already has two storefronts, one in Lincoln Park at 2229 N. Clybourn Ave., and another in the West Loop at 1019 W. Lake St.
Foxtrot's existing Lincoln Park location, 2229 N. Clybourn Ave. [Foxtrot website]
The storefronts stock and sell curated groceries and alcohol. It's the brick-and-mortar version of the Foxtrot app, which is like Grubhub but for locally-made party snacks. Crain's described it as the "corner store updated for the Uber generation."
“We’re not replacing the weekly grocery trip,” CEO Mike LaVitola told the Tribune. “It’s more for people who have something coming up in the next few hours.”
The owner of the building is listed as 903 W Armitage LLC and its address is listed as 1040 W. Randolph St., which is Four Corners Tavern Group's headquarters. Four Corners is responsible for bar/restaurant projects like Ranalli's, Fremont and Benchmark.
A representative for Four Corners Tavern Group said the building is being redeveloped by someone affiliated with Four Corners, but the project is not an official Four Corners project. She would not disclose any further information.
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