A group of Galesburg residents plan to meet with the grocery store, Aldi, to discuss the potential of opening a food hub at the old Aldi location.
In November 2013, the Galesburg Aldi moved from its old location from Main and Henderson Street on the city's southwest side. Aldi opened a new store three miles away on the city's north side, and some residents who live near the old Aldi location say Aldi left behind a "food desert."
"That put a real hardship on thousands of people on this southwest side of the Galesburg area," said Jerry Ryberg, a member of the Galesburg Organizing Project.
"This Aldi that closed was within walking distance, even people with walkers would go. Knox college students would go there, and they are hurting, too," Ryberg added.
For the past several months, Ryberg, and others members of the Galesburg Organizing Project, have petitioned to bring Aldi back to their previous location.
Currently, the old Aldi location is for sale, but because of a deed stipulation, the lot cannot be sold to another grocery store, Ryberg said.
Because another grocery store cannot open at that location, members of the Galesburg Organizing Project said they will be meeting with Aldi officials by the end of August 2015, with plans of pushing for a food bank at the old location.
"We're hoping that Aldi would help get some food into that location with some sort of a food hub or something with their name on it, and that they would operate," Ryberg said.
News 8 contacted an Aldi spokesperson about the Galesburg plans, but Aldi said they could not comment on the matter.