Ed & Erv's Centrella Food Mart

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Ed & Erv's Centrella Food Mart

2210 W. Touhy Avenue

Founded in 1947. Closed November 1, 2014

Founded by Ervin R. Mondl and Ed Galloway.

When Ed Galloway retired in 1972, Erv's son Denny Mondl bought his share of the business. For a while he worked alongside his dad — until he retired. Then Denny's brother, Andy Mondl stepped in and helped around the store, but, sadly, his brother died shortly after. Since then, Mondl has run the store and butcher shop himself — 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Mondays to Saturdays.

Not much inside the store has changed over the years. The stuffed Chinook salmon — a 23.5-pounder his dad reeled in,and Mondl netted, on Lake Michigan — still hangs on the wall behind the meat counter.

But the neighborhood certainly is different, Mondl said.

"I saw the neighborhood change back and forth, back and forth," he said. "... There were a lot more older people and a lot more larger families. I had a lot more delivery service."

In its heyday, the store made six deliveries a day. Now it makes six a week, he said. And as more shoppers took their business to supermarket chains, it became more difficult to work with distributors.

"It's hard to be competitive," he said. "They want to work with the big guys and not the little guy."

But the shop had enough charm to support itself and the family for nearly seven decades. Mondl said he and his wife, Barbara Mondl, put their four sons through school at nearby St. Margaret Mary School, his alma mater.

His dad, Erv, died in 2008 at age 89. Then many of his old friends from the neighborhood retired.

So, he said, he decided to "hang it up."

"Sad," he said when asked to describe how it would feel to close the store for the last time. "It's going to be strange, it's going to be hard. My shelves are dwindling now. They used to be jam-packed."

In February, Mondl put the building up for sale. So far, a few prospective buyers have come forward, but he's holding out.

"Obviously, I'd rather see it go to someone who would open up a grocery store," he said.

Many residents are also sad to see Ed and Erv's go, including the regulars at next-door tavern My Place.

"He's going to be missed. He's going to be very missed." said bartender Linda Gomez, 47.

Gomez and tavern patrons often order lunch from Mondl, who will make burgers, pork tacos, or sandwiches for them, she said. He will even let them start a tab if they're short on cash.

"He's old-school, mom-and-pop style," Gomez said.

What's next for Mondl?

He said he has about six months of work to do around the house. And, he said, he plans to spend time with his mother, who's "in her 90s."

Iconic Ed & Erv's Centrella Food Mart Store To Be Restored As New Home Of Bina's Café

By Linze Rice | Tuesday, March 29, 2016 6:24am | DNAinfo.com

See Bina's Café for details.