UPDATED 8;42 p.m.
PEORIA, Ill. – Sometimes, God has other plans.
That’s what local pastor Chuck Brown says. He was hoping to open a grocery store and eatery — Harvest Supermarket and Grill — at Western Avenue and Martin Luther King, Junior Drive in South Peoria by the end of this month.
But, Brown says, the same problem everyone else seems to be dealing with happened to him.
(Artist renderings/Harvest Market and Grill)
“Just like everyone else around the country, we’re dealing with some supply chain delays concerning the supermarket component,” said Brown.
Anyone else would be frustrated at having to deal with things like the supply chain, but Brown says he’s just taking everything in stride, and the extra time will help make sure everything is being done right.
When Brown purchased a former Save-a-Lot building to start the grocery store, it was almost like starting from the ground up.
“When they left that building, there was literally nothing in there. That was an empty, vacant shell,” said Brown. “I think a lot of people believed that it was already refrigeration and shelving. There wasn’t even condensers on the rooftop.”
So, Brown says he had to order everything new.
Most of the restaurant portion of the store is fully equipped, so he expects to open that part first, and the
(Design plans/Harvest Market and Grill)
supermarket later.
“I’m just a firm believer that everything is in God’s timing,” said Brown. “It’s definitely given us some time to get some other things done that we needed to get done.”
And if you’re looking for a reason to at least visit the restaurant portion of Harvest Supermarket and Grill, Brown says one of the featured items will be stuffed, smoked turkey legs.
The store will help fill what’s termed a “food desert” in South Peoria — defined as an area where it’s difficult to purchase affordable or good-quality fresh food.
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