By Timothy Inklebarger

Staff Reporter

It's official: Pete's Fresh Market has purchased the former Dominick's grocery store in Oak Park, according to Pete's executive officer Stephanie Dremonas.

Dremonas tells Wednesday Journal that Pete's closed on the purchase of the shuttered grocery store at 259 Lake St. on Jan. 24th for an undisclosed amount.

"It's off to the races," Dremonas said, adding that the Chicago-based grocery chain already has begun drawing elevations and developing floor plans for the new location.

Dremonas said in late January that Pete's aims to have the store opened by year's end.

"We definitely want to open as soon as we can," she said in a recent interview.

In addition to its emphasis on fresh produce, the store plans to sell liquor and it also is working to include a satellite Starbuck's coffee shop, Dremonas said.

She said the company already is hearing from Oak Parkers posting suggestions for the new store on Pete's corporate website and Facebook fan page.

"They want to see something fresh, and they want to see something new," she said.

Dremonas said in January that the store will include a full-service meat and seafood counter, deli and homemade bakery department. In a recent interview she said it still is uncertain whether the store will include a pharmacy.

"We're excited to join the community and to build a store that the patrons can be proud of and that the community endorses," she said.

The former Dominick's was one of 72 locations in the metropolitan area that closed in December when California-based parent company Safeway Inc. decided to exit the Chicago market.

Reporter Timothy Inklebarger can be reached at tim@oakpark.com