Sav-On Foods Closing After 57 Years
The discount grocery store is running an "everything must go" sale through the end of July.
Site of Sav-On Foods, 2030 W. Clybourn Ave. Photo taken July 13, 2023 by Sophie Bolich.
A key Milwaukee destination for affordable groceries will soon close for good after nearly six decades in business.
Sav-On Foods, a grocery warehouse located at 2030 W. Clybourn St., is selling its remaining stock at a discounted price before permanently closing its doors at the end of the month.
Now entering its final days, the store leaves customers with a brief — yet sincere — message, posted on a whiteboard near the swinging entry doors.
“Thank you to all of our customers,” it said. “Without you these last 57 years would not have been possible.”
The family-owned and operated business opened in 1966. The current owner, Gary Catalano, took over the store from his father and runs it with help from his children. But Catalano, who just turned 80, is ready to retire. “It’s time,” said one of his sons.
Housed in a 1940 warehouse, the expansive, 68,922-square-foot store contains rows of industrial shelving and commercial reach-in freezers. Once fully stocked with piles of frozen vegetables, meats, canned goods and candy, the store is now mostly empty. An ever-dwindling supply of household goods, sauces, spices and other items remain.
One section — located just left of the entrance — has been converted into a rummage sale room. An assortment of non-food items including cleaning and auto supplies, ceramic decorations, clothing and more, will be up for grabs for the rest of the month. All items are marked with bright orange price tags.
The soon-to-be-empty store will be taken over by a mechanical contractor who recently bought the building, according to a representative of the business.
Sav-On Foods is located just west of the Marquette University campus. It shares a block with an eclectic lineup of businesses including a moving company, a martial arts school, an electrician, a commercial printing business, water damage restoration services and apartment buildings. Mo’s Food Market, an Asian grocery store, is located one block to the west.
Sav-On Foods will be open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. through the end of July.
Who is the mechanical contractor? State real estate transfer records indicate an affiliate of J.M. Brennan Inc. purchased the property on June 30 for $2.68 million. The company is currently located a few blocks south at 2101 W. St. Paul Ave.
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