instore - January 2018 - 18

cover story

"Things that other stores are doing
now, they were doing 50 years ago."
Bob Zenawick, Treasure Island Foods

sellers, Blackwell says. While the majority of Streeterville's baked goods
are baked in-house, some, like its cookies, are made off-site.
Treasure Island's deli salad lineup is characterized by its variety,
reflecting the myriad culinary interests of its customer base, Zenawick
says. "You can't imagine how many customers pick different kinds of
salads," he says. All of Treasure Island's salads are hand-made daily in the
store. At any given time, the store sells about 20 to 25, with new offerings
joining the mix constantly as consumers' tastes evolve. Chicken, tuna and
seven-grain are among the top salad sellers, along with salads featuring
quinoa, kale and other ingredients favored by the health-conscious.

After its 2017 renovation, the Streeterville store's
bakery case is double the size of its predecessor.

Private label is becoming bigger and bigger throughout Treasure Foods'
stores, and the deli department is no exception. Store-brand hummus
(in addition to Sabra and Cedar's branded items) and pita breads
are among the deli items on prominent display in Streeterville. And
upwards of ten varieties of the store's Sushi Avenue-brand sushi are
available in a dedicated case on a daily basis.
Treasure Island has differentiated itself from its competitors in more
ways than one. While the chain is anchored to the Chicago area, for
instance, it looks far beyond city, state and even national boundaries
for inspiration. "Treasure Island is the most European grocery store in
the Chicagoland area," Zenawick says.
To ensure its cheese department is like no other, several company officials have traveled to France, Italy and other countries to find products
no other retailer in Chicago has. Streeterville typically has about 300
varieties for sale, including parmesan hand-grated on site.
Bel Gioioso, Havarti, Cantorel, La Bottega and Castello are among the
branded cheeses in the Treasure Island case. The store also offers a full
line of imported Italian meats from producers including Volpi, Parino,
Daniele, Busseto, Campofrio and Fiorucci.
With so many offices in or near the Streeterville building at 680 N.
Lake Shore, office parties are frequent, and Treasure Island's legendary
cakes, all baked in-house, are a staple of them. Catering is also a big part
of Streeterville's business, Blackwell says, with Thanksgiving being the
busiest time of the year.
Looking ahead -in addition to the other store remodels - Treasure
Island will open a 32,000-square-foot store in Chicago's Uptown
neighborhood, its first new store since 2009. Located at the intersection of Montrose and Clarendon avenues, the store will be the anchor
tenant of a luxury apartment development. Target and Jewel-Osco
will provide stiff competition in the area, but Zenawick says Treasure
Island is up for the challenge.
A grocery store inside another building, with lots of hungry tenants
nearby? Sounds familiar. If they ever need inspiration Uptown, they
can always look downtown.

18 * JANUARY 2018 * instore

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