Motivated by the police killing of George Floyd and subsequent protests, some of Chicago’s most prominent athletes took a bus tour of the South Austin neighborhood in early June. They found a food desert — one grocery store and 10 liquor stores.
They made a promise before they stepped off the bus.
A half-million dollars and less than 11 weeks later, they delivered.
Led by former Bears linebacker Sam Acho, who first recruited them for the bus tour, the athletes purchased Belmonte Cut Rate Liquor at 423 N. Laramie Ave., next door to the By the Hand Club for Kids.