Central Park Produce & Cermak fresh Market — Attraction in West Chicago Township

Review for Central Park Fresh Market (3552 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60651) Date of Visit: 9/29/2025

I was at this store this morning between 10:45 and 11:00 AM looking for Concha meat (Carrucho). What happened next was shocking and completely unacceptable.

The employee behind the seafood counter was all smiles, patient, and attentive while serving two Mexican customers. But the second they left, his attitude completely changed. He turned his back, ignored me, and pretended to be busy with something else. I called him three times, raising my voice each time, and he still refused to acknowledge me.

When he finally responded, it was without even looking at me, showing pure disrespect. He told me, “The king fish is in the corner.” I told him I wasn’t looking for king fish, but Carrucho. His response? “I don’t know what that is, we don’t have that”—still without eye contact, still cold, dismissive, and rude.

Make no mistake—this was not just bad customer service. This was blatant discrimination. His actions made it crystal clear that if you are not Mexican, you are invisible in this store. Puerto Ricans, Black people, White people, anyone outside his own race apparently does not deserve respect here.

To the management: how can you allow someone like this to interact with customers? This employee is unprofessional, arrogant, rude, and clearly biased. By keeping him in a position where he serves the public, you are endorsing discrimination and allowing a hateful attitude to represent your store. Retraining is not enough for someone who openly ignores, dismisses, and disrespects customers based on race or ethnicity. He should be terminated immediately.

And this is on the store as well. A store that allows employees to treat paying customers like garbage because of their nationality is a store that does not care about the people it serves. You have failed your community, your customers, and your own reputation.

It’s unacceptable that a business in Chicago, a city known for diversity, would allow an employee to treat people like this. This is not just one bad interaction; it’s a reflection of a toxic work culture that tolerates discrimination. If you employ someone who openly ignores, dismisses, and disrespects customers of different races, it shows that your store has no regard for fairness, equality, or basic human decency.

This experience has left me furious and disgusted. I will never shop here again, and I strongly urge others—especially Puerto Ricans, Black people, White people, and anyone who is not Mexican—to avoid this store at all costs. A business that prioritizes protecting racist or discriminatory employees over serving its customers does not deserve your time or your money.

I also want to call attention to the lack of accountability here. It’s not enough to simply blame one employee—management must take responsibility for allowing this behavior to occur. Every time a customer is dismissed, ignored, or disrespected based on nationality, the store is complicit. Stores like this send a dangerous message to their community: that discrimination is acceptable, and that some people are less worthy of service than others.

Furthermore, the sheer arrogance and entitlement of this employee was unbelievable. Watching him fawn over the Mexican customers with charm and attention, then immediately treat me like I was invisible, was insulting and infuriating. This is not just bad manners; this is hostility disguised as service. Management should be ashamed for employing someone who thinks it is acceptable to discriminate openly in front of the public.

If this is the standard for customer service at Central Park Fresh Market, then it is clear the store cares more about favoritism and employee bias than about serving the community with dignity and respect. This store has failed to uphold basic decency, and the management’s inaction makes them just as guilty as...

Why is it evry time I ask for the owner Jim his never there , these employees are rude and then avoid customers speaking to the owner, I also left him a complaint , call several times never there , I hope he sees this review, is sad cause the owners is a nice man , it’s always the employees that mess it up for the owners , u know they ain’t right , when u call for the owner he is never there ,I grew up going to this place and now there , New location is to expensive to shop, they went from a neighborhood store to franchise, pricy . The register woman look miserable, and I had to return some items , because the ten items , already had me at $80.00dollars . They, should have kept it small , now , we paying for their new store , with their food prices. They catering to the gentrification. I will go back only* for their baked bread . Sad to see it happen , we make these stores in the hood , then , gentrification kicks in … and we can’t afford to buy there , I am a long time customer , very disappointing., new management are rude .. and then one the main managers , such a liar when it comes to customers needs of merchandise, u would think they would cater to their old customers , The owner needs to be there more there are to many chiefs and not enough Indianss everyone wants to be a boss , but are not boss material ,..I’ve noticed reviews from employees and friends on this page .. how dishonest is that .. smh. Again , I’ve been at this store since a child I recognize...

It is quite a drive, with these gas prices, to go to this place. However, they usually have the exact items I need without having to drive even farther to the North Side. The butcher staff are always happy to serve and give you exactly what you asked for with a smile. My only issue with this place is the precarious parking situation, which along with the high curbs that can easily damage the undercarriage of the tallest SUV, make me sometimes shy away from making the pilgrimage to this neighborhood gem. Luckily, the store will soon move directly across the street to a former Jewel Osco store which has a large, paved, parking lot. It means the store will be a lot bigger, have more elbow room and be able to offer even more Hispanic and Afro-Caribbean food items. I cannot wait to experience the new, more...