'Gorgeous' Tony's Fresh Market: Joliet Celebrates Opening

JOLIET, IL — In one of Joliet Mayor Bob O'Dekirk's biggest success stories during his second term as mayor, the ugly and abandoned Kmart store at 1801 W. Jefferson St. came back to life on Wednesday morning as Tony's Fresh Market celebrated its grand opening.

"It's a great addition," O'Dekirk told Joliet Patch. "It sat dilapidated for years as the old Kmart. There was talk about making it storage units, which I opposed, and I made the right decision."

By 9 a.m., Joliet Patch saw hundreds, yes hundreds, of people pushing shopping carts within the supermarket and exiting the store. Several company representatives of Tony's attended the ribbon cutting, as well as Mike Paone and Jen Howard of the Joliet Chamber of Commerce plus Rod Tonelli of Joliet's City Center Partnership.

Jim Marnos, one of the representatives of the Tony's Fresh Market company, told Joliet Patch that the new Tony's in Joliet already has 235 employees.

He said the produce, meats, deli and bakery are four of the most popular sections for Tony's.

He also said the first four supermarket aisles carry ethnic products, and people like that.

Joliet City Councilman Joe Clement told Joliet Patch there will be a regular presence of Joliet police cars in the parking lot to make sure the supermarket is a safe place for customers.

The officers' presence will also send a message to any panhandlers that their presence is not welcome here. In years past, when the Kmart property was in decay, homeless people regularly set up their blankets and pillows here and left the place a mess, but those days are over.

Joliet Patch spoke with two on-duty Joliet police officers whose vehicles were parked in the back of the parking lot Wednesday morning.

One officer remarked that he can't believe how gorgeous the Tony's Fresh Market looks.

Tony's put in a new asphalt parking lot and added lots of small bushes and shrubs around the outside of the store.

The new Tony's at 1801 W. Jefferson St. is open seven days a week, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

In the weeks ahead, there will be a new Planet Fitness health club opening on the west corner of the building.