(La Porte, IN) - Inflation is hurting efforts to bring a grocer to La Porte’s west side.  During last night’s La Porte City Council meeting, Mayor Tom Dermody said the skyrocketing cost of building supplies and furnishings like freezers are hindering the ability of supermarkets to add new locations.

 

Dermody also reaffirmed the commitment of his administration to add a supermarket to the west side which will be without a grocery store once Aldi relocates.

 

La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership Executive Director Bert Cook agreed with the mayor’s assessment of the inflation related challenge.  Cook said there’s space available for a grocery store at Maple Lane Mall and the city is still reaching out to prospective companies.  “The costs of construction are extremely high as pretty much everybody knows.   We’re trying to reconcile that with the potential market they can serve on that city of the city.  We’re going to keep working on it,” he said.

 

Cook said he’s still hopeful of finding a grocer to serve the west side before the end of the year.

 

A building for Aldi is going up at New Porte Landing and is expected to be finished sometime in the coming months.