At 79th and Cottage Grove in Chicago’s Chatham neighborhood, there was a business with a troubled history: Happy Liquor and Foods.
“We have had issues of people being shot, robbed, beat,” said Pastor John Hannah of New Life Covenant Southeast Church.
Pastor Hannah’s church is about three blocks from where the store sat for decades.
“We would stop right here and pray and ask God to give us this corner. … For 15 years we did this,” Pastor Hannah said.
Last year, the store closed for good. The city shut it down, and the building was put up for sale. That’s when Pastor Hannah saw his opportunity.
“We got it a few months ago,” he said. “So now we are talking to the architects – to look at what will it look like to bring life to this corner.”
Pastor Hannah’s church purchased the entire building with big plans for it, including a grocery store and clinic.
“Pastor Hannah is my hero,” said 8th Ward Ald. Michelle Harris. “I am grateful. My community is grateful. It is going to transform this grid.”
The pastor says renovations will take some time and money. He’s currently in talks with local and state officials.
“This is a multi-million dollar project, so we need as much help as we can get. We don’t wait on somebody to come in and change our community. Let’s change it ourselves.”
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