On the Road: Pete’s Market

WHEATON, IL – I first heard about Pete’s Market during a panel of Chicago consumers. We were polling them about their grocery shopping habits and asked where they preferred to buy their produce.

We expected to hear a lot of the more well-known Chicagoland names like Jewel-Osco or even Whole Foods, but more than half of them said they love to shop at Pete’s.

I said to myself, I gotta check this place out.

And I wasn’t disappointed.

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Amidst a lot of change in the Chicago retail scene, with old favorites like Stanley’s and Treasure Island Foods closing up shop, Pete’s Market just opened its 14^th location, in the site of a former Whole Foods Market – conveniently located near the headquarters for Blue Book Services, actually.

The Whole Foods moved a couple hundred yards away, to a smaller footprint store.

Interestingly enough, at lunch time on a Thursday, Pete’s was packed with people outside on the patio enjoying the wide selection of in-house prepared foods, and Whole Foods had what I’d consider an average lunch crowd.

The produce department really shines at Pete’s, with large displays, competitive prices and a wide selection. Their in-house juice and fresh-cut fruit are particular favorites of mine.