A new grocery store will be opening soon in DeKalb.

Schnucks, which will be located on the southwest corner of Anne Glidden Road and Taylor Street, is currently under construction and expected to be open sometime in early December.

According to Paul Rasmussen, DeKalb community development director, this project is part of a three-year effort to build a 27-acre commercial area in DeKalb.

“The 60,000-square-foot grocery store will be the center of the developing area,” Rasmussen said. “Schnucks is such a well-respected upscale grocery chain.”

In addition to Schnucks opening in December, there will be at least three other smaller business developments surrounding the grocery store, covering a 20,000-square-foot area. Included will be an Ace Hardware store, a Chicago hair-cuttery and a Green Acres cleaners.

Rasmussen said the city has also negotiated sites for additional restaurants, gas stations and a fire station in upcoming years.

Rasmussen also said that this growth is positive for DeKalb.

“Annie Glidden will soon be upgraded to a boulevard, and a flurry of activity will occur from retailers looking to buy the area,” Rasmussen said.

He said the expansion of Chicago suburbs has increased about a mile every year for the past 30 years and now DeKalb’s growth is not far behind.

DeKalb’s population has increased at an average of 2 percent per year. The last census taken in 2000 was about 39,000 people, and the next census to be taken in 2010 is expected to be about 50,000 people.

“It is becoming less expensive for people to be living in DeKalb, and the university makes it a stable economic environment,” Rasmussen said.

STUDENT REACTION

Many students are excited to see new DeKalb developments coming closer to campus.

“It’ll be nice to have a closer grocery store to campus because I won’t have to sit on a bus for a half-hour like I would if I were to go to Wal-Mart,” said Stefan Wereminski, a freshman pre-physical therapy major.

Phoebe Blaustein, junior math education major, said she is happy to see the town growing.

Schnucks is currently in the process of hiring and is offering part-time jobs.