A chain of upscale grocery stores soon could be opening a location in Frankfort.

Mariano's Fresh Market, which is owned by Milwaukee-based Roundy's Supermarkets and has five locations in the Chicagoland area, wants to build a more than 70,000-square-foot store on the 7-1/2 acres of land in the 20900 block of LaGrange Road, just south of Old Plank Trail Community Bank, said Frankfort Planning Supervisor Zach Brown.

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The proposed land currently houses Red Door Realty and DePaulo Travel, but those storefronts would be demolished to make way for Mariano's, Brown said.

The grocer will present its plans and request a public hearing at the village's next plan commission meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26. The commission needs to recommend Mariano's proposal before it goes before the Frankfort Village Board for final approval.

If everything moves smoothly, construction on the new location could begin later this year, Brown said.

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Mariano's--with its selection of higher end foods, limited bulk items and day-to-day grocery fare--a unique type of store for Frankfort, Brown said, adding that chain's interest in the village is encouraging to see.

Building the new grocery store also will help the village accomplish another goal: creating a signal along LaGrange Road and full road access near that location, Brown said. The village will work with the Illinois Department of Transportation to get that signal placed, which also will help create more opportunities to attract larger commercial developments to that area.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Will you try out Mariano's Fresh Market if it opens a location in Frankfort? Tell us in the comments section. And where do you do your grocery shopping now? Write a review of your favorite--or not-so-favorite grocery store in our Patch Places business directory.