A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Wednesday morning for Pete’s Fresh Market in Orland Park. (Photo by Kelly White)

Orland Park shoppers no longer have to wait because Pete’s Fresh Market has finally arrived, bringing its signature fresh ingredients and diverse selection to the community. The long-anticipated grocery store officially opened its doors on Wednesday, Feb. 5, welcoming a flood of excited customers eager to explore the new space.

The Orland Park location is the latest addition to Pete’s Fresh Market, a family-owned supermarket chain that has been growing steadily since its humble beginnings in the 1970s as a small produce stand on Chicago’s South Side.

Founder Jimmy Dremonas, alongside his daughters and executive officers Vanessa and Stephanie Dremonas, has overseen the company’s expansion to 19 locations, with more on the way.

Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau was very happy with the Orland Park location.

A long line of early-bird shoppers gathered outside the Pete’s Fresh Market in Orland Park before it held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday. (Photo for Southwest Regional Publishing by Steve Neuhaus)

“I was here Sunday night for a sneak peek – Jimmy gave me a tour,” Pekau said. “A lot of people view Pete’s Fresh Market as a chain store, but it is not – it is a family business, and it’s so incredible to see Jimmy’s passion and how he treats every store and every customer like a family member.”

Jimmy’s daughter and executive officer of Pete’s Fresh Market, Stephanie Dremanos, said both the family and the store could not have received more support from the Orland Park community.

“It means a lot to be able to do this,” Stephanie, of Burr Ridge, said. “To have a family-owned business with staff that has been with us for decades.”

Stephanie, who has been with the company for 13 years said the opening day of the Orland Park location left her humble and grateful.

“This is it – it’s opening day, and this opening hour is what we all have been working towards,” she said. “So much sweat and tears went into this store, and we are so extremely proud that this level of work ethic and commitment lead to this amazing result.”

Opening day was indeed a lively event, with shoppers lining up early to take advantage of the store’s grand opening festivities. Lucky winners walked away with exciting prizes, including televisions, gift cards, and even a year’s worth of free groceries.

But the real star of the show was the store itself — a sprawling 65,000-square-foot space filled with vibrant produce, top-tier meats and seafood, an impressive selection of grocery essentials and specialty products, and a hot foods section serving up fresh, ready-to-eat meals.

Among the departments inside the new store is this space devoted to popcorn and its many flavors. (Photo for Southwest Regional Publishing by Steve Neuhaus)

The new store at 15080 S. LaGrange Road takes over a space that was once home to Art Van Furniture and, before that, a Dominick’s grocery store that closed in 2011. Pete’s Fresh Market first announced its plans for Orland Park in 2020, and after years of anticipation, the store is now open and thriving.

“We are very proud of the progress and everything that we have accomplished so far,” Stephanie said.

But the growth doesn’t stop here. Pete’s Fresh Market is already gearing up for its next big debut in Palos Heights, where another location is in the works in a former Dominick’s store at 127th and Ridgeland.

“It’s so meaningful to have a family business like this come to our town,” Ramzi Hassan, president of the Orland Park Area Chamber of Commerce, said.

As the grocery chain continues to expand, more communities, such as Orland Park and Palos Heights, will soon get a taste of what has made Pete’s Fresh Market a beloved name in fresh and specialty foods.

Shoppers rush into the new Pete’s Fresh Market in Orland Park. (Photo for Southwest Regional Publishing by Steve Neuhaus)

10 replies on “Long wait is over, Pete’s Fresh Market opens in Orland Park”

  1. I am super so happy that the Orland Park location has finally opened. The store looks AMAZING. All of the items were neatly placed on the shelves, the vegetables were extremely fresh, the meat was top tier and there were so many items to choose from. The staff was OUTSTANDING. I will never shop anywhere else. I love Pete’s. Thank you for making this happen for all of us here in Orland Park.

  2. Went to Pete’s it was packed! I was very impressed how they handled the crowd and helped all customers with respect and led you to a line to check out without blocking the isles! Everytime you turn around there were always two to three employees around you to make sure all goes well!

    1. Marianos are not all rude. Maybe it was the customer who is rude. Give Pete’s a chance and there will probably be rude employees. Right now it’s grand opening. Once it’s over see if all employees are nice.

  3. So glad to have an alternative to Mariano’s.
    Hopefully the employees won’t be rude as the fore mentioned.
    Good luck.

  4. Big Kudos Pete’s. I’ve been shopping the Dolton location for years. Pete’s, it is time for a Dolton make-over, especially the front. Keep striving and Thriving!

  5. Happy it’s coming to Palos Heights. Jewel is a bad option. Always out of items. Hard to purchase liquor as wine bottles are locked and you have to hunt down an associate and then the cashier can’t ring you up cause they are underage. Ughhh

  6. I had the pleasure of shopping on grand opening day and I was not disappointed what so ever. MARVELOUS JOB!

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