Residents and community leaders organized a protest Friday morning as part of the ongoing effort to discourage Target from closing two stores on Chicago's South Side.
A group led by Rep. Bobby Rush demonstrated in front of a Target store in the Chatham neighborhood, near West 86th Street and Cottage Grove.
That location, along with a store in Marshfield Plaza in Morgan Park, is slated to shut its doors on Feb. 2.
The Minnesota-based retailer announced plans to close both in early November, based on "multiple years of decline and underperformance."
"The decision to close a store is always difficult," a store spokeswoman said in a statement, "and follows a rigorous annual process to evaluate the performance of every store in the portfolio and maintain the overall health of the business."
The company said it also considers the proximity of other Target stores before deciding to close a location, and that it would be willing to help find another retail store to take over the space.
But Rush said he is hoping Target will reconsider, sending the company a letter and hosting rallies and a community meeting to hear from residents of the predominantly African-American communities.
"The fight continues," he said at a recent rally. "We're fighting for the quality of our community life."
