Foxtrot reopened its first store on Thursday, Sept. 5 in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood. The reopening comes several months after Outfox Hospitality, then-parent company of the upscale corner store chain, unexpectedly shuttered all of its stores
Following the closure in April, Further Point Enterprises bought the company’s brand and assets in an auction, and is now leading the effort to revive the company in collaboration with Mike LaVitola, Foxtrot’s original founder.
As part of its reopening, the company plans to reintroduce customers to some of its familiar brands, while offering an expanded full-day menu.
“Our new coffee and food menus are a true reflection of Foxtrot’s founding principle: taking the ingredients we’re passionate about, partnering with the best purveyors, and making them a special part of our day — and yours — every day,” LaVitola said in a Sept. 3 statement.
Foxtrot’s sudden closure in April left customers shocked and employees frustrated, but people seemed optimistic about the reopening under new leadership.
Trevor Flynn-Stead is a DePaul senior and former Foxtrot employee who worked there at the time of the closure. He said it was announced to employees at the same time that it was announced to the general public.
“There was about two hours in-between when I found out and when the stores closed for good. … It has set me back slightly but nothing compared to what some of my coworkers who relied on it for full-time income must have experienced.”
Flynn-Stead wishes the company good luck but notes that the revival of the corner store may not be helpful for some in the communities that it serves.
“I wish them good luck so far as I enjoyed the stores and their curated product lines, … but I don’t feel any particular way about the business,” Flynn-Stead said. “A corner store with grab-and-go grocery items is helpful but probably not at their prices.”
Flynn-Stead said that while the closure of Foxtrot was a loss for the communities, it mainly served those on the North Side. He said he thinks mostly about food deserts and areas of food insecurity, which are primarily on the South and West sides.
“There are worthier areas to pay attention to as far as grocers/food stores are concerned, seeing as it almost exclusively operated on the north side,” Flynn-Stead said.
Simone Sierra, a DePaul senior, also recalls the sudden closure.
“It was very abrupt,” Sierra said. “I live near the Wrigley Field Foxtrot and had seen people gathering around the storefront trying to understand what happened. I feel that it is wrong for any business to put their employees in that position.”
Although she recognizes the abrupt nature of the closure for Foxtrot employees, she is optimistic about the potential for the company under new management.
“I am glad to see that someone who has a genuine care and love for the company is taking over, and I hope that this will cause Foxtrot to be better than before,” Sierra said.
Sierra said that despite her hopes for Foxtrot, she does not plan on shopping with them in the future.
“I find Foxtrot to be a bit overpriced and can’t really afford to shop there all the time but they do have some good snacks and treats that would be good for a special occasion.”
The 23 W. Maple St. store in Gold Coast marks the first of what is expected to be several store reopenings. More Foxtrot locations are expected to reopen in Chicago and Dallas throughout 2025.
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