Entrepreneur Elizabeth Abunaw turns a layoff from Microsoft into Forty Acres Fresh Market — bringing fresh, affordable food to a long-underserved community.
What began as a career setback has grown into a powerful story of resilience and community empowerment. Elizabeth Abunaw, an African American entrepreneur, has opened Chicago’s only Black-owned grocery store — Forty Acres Fresh Market — with a mission to make fresh, affordable food accessible to neighborhoods long deprived of it.
The store, which officially began operations on September 14, 2025, celebrated its grand opening on September 27, 2025. For Abunaw, the launch marked the culmination of years of determination, community advocacy, and an unwavering belief that every neighborhood deserves access to quality food.
Abunaw’s journey started with a major life change. After being laid off from Microsoft, she decided to turn adversity into opportunity. Instead of seeking another corporate role, she focused on addressing what she saw as one of Chicago’s most persistent inequities — the lack of grocery stores offering fresh produce in predominantly Black neighborhoods.
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Forty Acres Fresh Market began humbly as a pop-up produce stand and later grew into a mobile operation serving the city’s West Side. With each step, Abunaw built not only a business but also trust within communities where grocery options had long been limited. Her new brick-and-mortar store represents both an entrepreneurial triumph and a community milestone.
Located in the Austin neighborhood, the market offers fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, and pantry staples at prices meant to compete with large chains. Beyond selling groceries, it also serves as a gathering point — a space that fosters local pride and connection.
Community leaders and residents have hailed Abunaw’s achievement as a breakthrough in the fight against food deserts. “It’s more than a store — it’s a statement that our communities deserve investment and nourishment,” one local official said during the opening ceremony.
Abunaw has said her goal is not only to run a successful business but to inspire other entrepreneurs of color to create sustainable, community-centered ventures. “I wanted to prove that access to healthy food is not a luxury — it’s a right,” she said.
With Forty Acres Fresh Market now open, Abunaw’s vision has become reality — one that could help redefine how Chicago tackles inequality, one grocery cart at a time.
