The newest store to join the Naperville grocery lineup is under construction, with plans to open late this summer or early fall.
Heinen’s Grocery Store is building a new facility at Chicago Avenue and Olesen Drive, in the Eagle Crest shopping center, where a Butera Market used to be the anchor.
The store will be the fifth in Illinois for the 96-year-old business, which also operates 19 locations in its home state of Ohio.
Jackie Shultz, marketing director for Heinen’s, said the family-owned company is pleased by the “welcoming spirit” leaders have felt in Naperville and excited to open as a new neighborhood grocer.
“We thrive in places with a strong sense of community,” Shultz said. “That’s why Naperville already feels like such a great fit for us.”
Produce at Heinen’s Grocery Store is sourced mainly from farmers in Ohio and elsewhere in the Midwest during peak season.
What Heinen’s offers
The Heinen’s store in Naperville will be a full-service grocer with a bakery, specialty cheese shop, fresh flower market, deli and wellness department.
The 46,000 square-foot store also will include an Eat at Heinen’s restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating, as well as a grocery delivery service, prepared foods section and liquor area showcasing unique and local varieties.
But the store’s top specialties are produce, meat and seafood, Shultz said.
“While we’re proud to offer high-quality, unique offerings throughout the store, produce, meat and seafood are where we feel like we deliver an exceptionally special experience for our customers,” Shultz said.
Heinen’s excels in these areas because of strong produce sourcing and well-trained butchers and fishmongers, Shultz said. Buyers for the company have built relationships with farmers, mainly in Ohio, to source up to 75% of produce items from the Midwest during peak season.
Employees who go beyond
Heinen’s also focuses on a high level of training for its employees — about 120 of whom are expected to staff the new Naperville store, Shultz said. Workers in departments including wine, specialty cheese and wellness get enhanced training to learn the products Heinen’s offers and serve customers well.
“If you ask a question, our associates are going to go above and beyond what you typically would expect for a grocery store,” Shultz said.
New Heinen’s taking shape in Eagle Crest shopping center in Naperville.
Outlook for Naperville opening
The Naperville location is being built under the leadership of Novak Construction Company and AoDK Architecture. Shultz said interior buildout is progressing, with teams working on decor and signage inside the store now. She said there are no major roadblocks at this point, and the store will announce an opening date for late summer or early fall once work is complete.
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