Moo & Oink Stores In Danger Of Closing
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Whether you enjoyed their food or just saw their distinctive commercials, most Chicagoans recognize the name "Moo & Oink."
But as CBS 2's Pamela Jones reports, the grocery store chain might be forced to shut down.
It's a store a lot of us grew up with and if you haven't been there, you certainly have heard about it.
Moo & Oink has been an iconic part of the African-American community. The chance of losing the store is something many find difficult to accept.
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Their catchy commercials with the signature "Moo & Oink" jingle have been grabbing shoppers for years.
But now, Moo & Oink customers are questioning how long their favorite Chicago grocery store will last.
The Austin Weekly News reported Wednesday that the store chain is suffering financially and could get put up for sale soon.
A letter sent to the store's creditors said that a trustee hopes to keep the stores running for some time, but that the plan is to liquidate assets as soon as possible.
To customers, it all points to their favorite meat store closing its doors.
For Eric Turner and Kathy Strickland, it was very upsetting news.
"Maybe like a ton of bricks falling on my head," Turner said.
"I think they should leave it here, because like I said, it's like one of the bigger grocery stores in the area," Strickland said. "People are getting robbed by the little corner, the little side stores."
The stores have been reportedly trying to sell out since 2010. They blame a lagging economy for sacking the store with some $3 million in losses since 2009.
Customers say they never would have known from the stacks of quality meat and produce you can still find on the shelves inside.
Versetta Young feeds her family from Moo & Oink every week.
"With the economy being like it is, we need stores like this at least to help build the community," Young said.
Moo & Oink has four locations. So far, it's estimated three of those would be included in any liquidation plan.
The future of the south suburban store is unclear. Calls to the trustee and corporate office were not returned.
