Grocery Chain Bumps Starting Pay To $23 An Hour: IL Business News

ILLINOIS — Saying it is hiring employees across the nation, including in Illinois, a national grocery store retailer announced this week it is increasing starting pay to $23 an hour.

Plus, 19 local women business leaders met up to celebrate their successes by supporting each other, and another national retailer is closing locations in Illinois.

Here's a look at some of Illinois Patch's top business stories from this week:

Aldi Increases Starting Pay To $23 An Hour, Will Hire More Workers In IL

Aldi plans to hire more than 13,000 store and warehouse associates as it prepares for the upcoming holiday season, the company said. To entice new employees, the company said it plans to raise its national average hourly pay. The new wage for open Aldi store and warehouse positions will be $18 and $23 per hour, respectively, based on market and position.

South Suburban Female Entrepreneurs Unite to Support Community

The group gathered at Wildflowers on Wolf Sept. 9 to celebrate camaraderie, support, and leadership in business. SunKissed Greenz, a women-owned business located in Mokena, initiated this gathering in an effort to strengthen the network of small women-owned businesses within the community.

Big Lots Bankruptcy: Find Out What IL Stores Are Slated To Close

The Ohio-based discount retail chain declared for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Monday. The company said it plans "to continue optimizing our store footprint" during its reorganization process. Along with the bankruptcy filing, Big Lots has entered into an agreement to be acquired by Nexus Capital Management LP, a Los Angeles-based investment firm. RELATED: Big Lots Declares Bankruptcy, Future Of IL Stores Uncertain

Chicago Inflation Is Second-Worst In The Nation: Study

The Chicago area saw one of the largest consumer price index changes from two months ago. The WalletHub study published Wednesday finds that the Chicago area saw one of the largest consumer price index changes; 0.9 percent in the past two months, second only to the Twin Cities area, which had a two-month increase of 1.3 percent.

New Polish Grocery Store Opens In McHenry County

KD Market, a polish grocery store, will open its first McHenry County location in Crystal Lake. Founded in 1998 by husband-and-wife team Robert and Olga Wojciak, KD Market began as a small Polish deli in Schiller Park, known as Krystyna’s Deli