El Guero Grocery store to now open in 2024

Four years ago, a redevelopment project in Joliet that was expected to bring economic growth by opening an El Guero grocery store at the former Certified Warehouse property on East Jackson Street did not materialize during Mayor Bob O'Dekirk's second term.

However, during his final month as mayor, the city's economic development committee will meet to discuss extending tax incentives for El Guero. The project was initially announced by Joliet's retired economic development director, Steve Jones, and the Joliet City Council approved millions of dollars in tax incentives.

Joliet's current economic development director, Cesar Suarez, has requested an update to the tax incentives, with the expectation that El Guero will finally open by April 1, 2024.

Previous tax incentives for El Guero were approved by the Joliet Council in February 2019, but they expired on June 1, 2021, as the project did not proceed.

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