Mariano's Founder to Open New Grocery Chain

Bob Mariano, former head of Roundy's supermarket chain and founder of his namesake Mariano’s Fresh Market banners, isn't staying out of the grocery industry for much longer. Mariano retired in September 2016 after Roundy's merged with The Kroger Co. in December 2015.

Now, Mariano is planning to open the first Dom's Market & Kitchen in 2021. The new venture will be small-format stores with open kitchens where customers can see staff preparing dine-in and take-home meals, according to Crain's Chicago Business. 

The Chicago news outlet says Mariano received a $10 million investment from Valor Siren Ventures and Cleveland Avenue, and he is partnering with grocery veterans Jay Owen and Don Fitzgerald. Owen is the grandson of Dominick’s Finer Foods — which went out of business in 2013 — founder Dominick DiMatteo. Mariano became president and CEO of Dominick's in 1995. Fitzgerald was an executive at Roundy's during Mariano's time there. 

"Dom’s will be a neighborhood destination where consumers can drop in several times per week, explore new foods, watch the cooking process in open preparation areas, participate in a wine tasting class, dine in, or take home prepared foods or cooking ingredients," Owen said in the statement to Crain's Chicago Business.

The first Dom's Market & Kitchen is slated for the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago in March 2021.