FREEBURG, Ill. – A small community in the Metro East area is about to lose their only grocery store.
Freeburg, Illinois, population 4,200, has everything you could want a big box hardware store — Domino’s pizza, a nail salon. and we’re told some of the best Mexican food around. But soon they’ll be without a grocery store.
“It’s shocking,” said Freeburg resident Joan Morris.
“I don’t know what they’re going to replace it with if anything,” said Tim Rogers.
Soon these doors at Tom’s Market will be shut and the shelves empty.
“A grocery store is kind of essential,” said John Burklow.
Burklow is a father of five. His youngest was just born last Friday. Juggling a big family, after-school activities, and trying to put food on the table will soon be a lot harder.
“Trying to get groceries and have to travel outside of town, well that’s a considerable amount of more travel. That kind of hurts,” he said.
Some customers we spoke to didn’t even know the grocery store was closing. The only announcement was three small letters from Norrensberns Foods saying they can’t compete with big retailers like Aldi’s and Walmart. After 32 years of business, they’re closing.
Jill Lawrence, another Freeburg resident, said, “We’ve been getting our birthday cakes at Tom’s in Freeburg for probably 20 to 30 years. Now we’re not sure where we’re going to get those and they’re luscious cakes.”
It’s still unclear exactly when they’re closing but anyone needing help getting to a nearby grocery store can contact St. Joseph’s Catholic Church or St. Paul’s United Church for free rides.
