About a dozen protestors gathered Friday afternoon outside of a Walmart in Little Village set to be shut down this weekend, joining outcry from around the city as Walmart also shutters three other stores.
Baltazar Enriquez, the president of the Little Village Community Council, said the area depends on the store’s affordable goods and prescriptions from the pharmacy.
“This Walmart is for us. We fought to have this here,” Enriquez said. “Since we are a low-income area, we depend on their low prices. We need these low prices because we don’t make enough money.”
The Little Village Walmart Neighborhood Market, located at 2551 W. Cermak Road, is one of four Chicago supermarkets that Walmart announced Tuesday will close by Sunday.
The protestors marched in front of the store in Little Village carrying signs saying “We need this pharmacy” and “Keep this Walmart open.” Earlier this week, residents in Chatham also gathered to protest the closing of a Walmart Supercenter in their neighborhood. Two other Neighborhood Markets — in Kenwood and Lake View — will also shut.
Maria Sorrono, an employee at the Little Village Walmart, said senior residents particularly depend on the store for affordable groceries and prescriptions.
“I’m outraged and angry just like the customers. This Walmart has always been jam packed and filled with customers,” Sorrono said. “I wasn’t expecting this and we were only told about the closing on Tuesday.”
The company gave employees the option to move to a new location, Sorrono said.
Kristian Armendariz, an organizer with the Little Village Community Council, said residents should have been given more notice about the store closing this week.
“This location is a dire need for this community; many people depend on this Walmart for everyday essentials,” Armendariz said. “Walmart didn’t inform the community residents that they were going to shut this store down ... What are we supposed to do with five days’ notice?”
The Chicago Walmarts overall have been “unprofitable” since the company came to the city, Walmart said Tuesday in a news release.
