(Above) The deli counter at South Loop Market on South Michigan Avenue. The owners of South Loop Market are expanding to River North. Photo obtained from South Loop Connection. Click on image to view larger version.

20-Jan-15 – The name is wrong and so is the address but a building permit was issued last November for renovation and alteration of a commercial space at Marina City that will soon be a much needed grocery store.

The owners of three small grocery stores, each called South Loop Market, are expanding to River North.

Issued on November 10, 2014, the permit lists the owner of the new space as Mike Hammad of 300 North Adams in Chicago.

There is no such address in Chicago. There is a 300 West Adams Street but, according to building management, there is no tenant there by that name.

“Mike” Hammad is most likely Muhanad Hani Hammad, listed in state records as secretary of Kammad Corporation, which owns South Loop Market.

A spokesperson for Chicago’s Department of Buildings says while such inaccuracies would probably not slow or prevent the permit from being issued, they are counting on permit applicants to provide truthful information.

“The onus is on them,” says Mimi Simon, Director of Public Affairs. “At the very end they say, ‘I certify that everything I just told you is true.’ And so if it’s not true, it’s kind of on them. Because obviously we couldn’t verify every single detail.”

No owners of South Loop Market, or Andy Bartucci, the commercial property manager at Marina City, or representatives of Copper Tree Construction Company, the general contractor, have returned multiple messages seeking an update.

According to the president of the condominium association at Marina City, remodeling of the new store is “well underway” but behind schedule “due to delays in obtaining city permits.”

South Loop Market has been in business since August 2009. Jamil Kaman, along with his brother, Samir, is a co-owner of the grocery store chain as well as Kurah Mediterranean Tapas, a restaurant on South Michigan Avenue. Rami Hammad is also mentioned in published reports as one of the market’s co-owners.

When Marina Food & Liquor closed in March 2014, it left Marina City without a grocery store for the first time in more than 50 years.