Grocery store space in Lake County, IL: questions to ask about the building
The questions a grocer’s real estate team asks of a building, with answers for an 18,000 SF downtown Mundelein space, weak spots included.
A grocery store needs the right building as well as the right location: the floor, the ceiling, loading, power for refrigeration, sprinklers, parking and the households around it. Below are the questions to ask about any Lake County building, then answers for one space, with 5 weak spots and open items marked plainly.
What a grocer asks of a building
Put these to the landlord, the town and your own team before you make an offer or sign a lease.
Is the floor big enough, and the right shape?
Check how the sales floor, back room, coolers and receiving fit on the floor.
How high is the ceiling?
Shelving height, refrigerated cases, lighting and ductwork have to fit under it.
Can delivery trucks unload?
Check the building against your delivery schedule and truck sizes.
Is there enough power for refrigeration?
Check available power against your coolers, freezers and refrigerated cases.
Is the building sprinklered?
The fire code requirement depends on the use, the size and the stock you store.
Is there enough parking?
Check parking capacity and how shoppers get from their cars to the door.
Who lives nearby?
Compare nearby households and new homes with your trade area.
How do shoppers get there?
Traffic past the site and access on foot or by car help shape the sales forecast.
Is a grocery store allowed?
Each town writes its own zoning list, and an approval can add months to the schedule.
What does it cost, and for how long?
A store build-out is a long-term investment, so review the lease term and rent schedule alongside the first year’s rent.
When is the space available?
Installing a grocery store’s fixtures can take months after you get the keys.
An 18,000 SF downtown Mundelein space, answered
Answers for one building for lease. A row marked “ask” is a weak spot or something to check before you commit. See the full listing →
| Question | This space |
|---|---|
| Is the floor big enough, and the right shape? | About 18,000 SF, one tenant for the whole building. The main room is about 138′ × 98′ (about 13,500 SF) with no columns; a second room is about 80′ × 49′ (about 4,000 SF), plus existing concessions and restrooms.On the listing |
| How high is the ceiling? | About 13 feet clear. Check your racking, cases and ductwork against 13 feet.Weak spot or open item: ask |
| Can delivery trucks unload? | A rear drive-in door. Dock loading is not part of the published description: ask. Have your distribution team look at the truck route and the door.Weak spot or open item: ask |
| Is there enough power for refrigeration? | Power capacity is not confirmed. Ask for the electrical service before you plan the store.Weak spot or open item: ask |
| Is the building sprinklered? | Sprinklered above the concessions area, not throughout. Ask the fire department what a grocery store of your size needs here.Weak spot or open item: ask |
| Is there enough parking? | About 100 on-site parking spaces.On the listing |
| Who lives nearby? | More than 770 new homes are complete or under construction within a half mile. Within 1, 3 and 5 miles: about 5,200, 27,100 and 41,100 households, with median household income of about $100,100, $125,000 and $134,300 (approximate radius estimates modelled from U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2020–2024 data).On the listing |
| How do shoppers get there? | Lake Street (Route 45), downtown’s main street, carries about 21,200 vehicles a day (IDOT 2025). The Mundelein Metra station is about a quarter mile away, and Pace routes 574 and 593 serve the downtown.On the listing |
| Is a grocery store allowed? | Not approved today. The space is zoned C-5-R Downtown Residential, and the owner handles the Village approval. Make the lease contingent on that approval.Weak spot or open item: ask |
| What does it cost, and for how long? | $9.50/SF/YR base ($14,250 a month) on a modified-net lease: the tenant reimburses property taxes and common expenses (estimated at $2.28/SF/YR combined) and the owner pays the building insurance. Terms of 5 to 30 years, with the owner flexible on escalations for a long-term, full-building lease.On the listing |
| When is the space available? | Available March 2027. The address is confidential and shared on inquiry.On the listing |
Check the parcel’s zoning early
Each of the 55 cities and villages with land in Lake County writes its own zoning list. Ask the town which approvals a grocery store needs and whether they include a public hearing. Search a town or the word “grocery” in the Commercial Zoning Lookup; the Lake County Commercial Zoning Guide explains how approvals work.
Common questions
Where is the downtown Mundelein space?
In downtown Mundelein's walkable core, about a quarter mile from the Mundelein Metra station. The exact address is confidential and shared on inquiry.
What are the weak spots of the downtown Mundelein space for a grocery store?
About 13 feet of clear height, a rear drive-in door for loading, sprinklers above the concessions area only, power capacity not confirmed, and a Village approval for the use, which the owner handles. The table on this page lists each one.
Is a grocery store allowed in the downtown Mundelein space?
Not today. The space is zoned C-5-R Downtown Residential, and the owner handles the Village approval. Make the lease contingent on that approval.
How do I check zoning for a grocery store elsewhere in Lake County?
Each of the 55 cities and villages with land in Lake County writes its own zoning list. Search a town or a use in the Commercial Zoning Lookup, then confirm the parcel with the town before you sign.
Looking for grocery store space in Lake County?
Tell me the towns you’re considering, the size and ceiling height you need, and how you take deliveries. I’ll send you buildings to consider and point out their weak spots before you spend money on a site.
Jason Bitton is a commercial real estate broker with RE/MAX Commercial in Libertyville, IL — #1 RE/MAX Commercial Broker in Illinois (2022, 2024, 2025) — serving Lake County, the North Shore, the O’Hare corridor, and the Chicago suburbs.