In Forest Park, the mid-day crowd is not just grabbing groceries, they are lining up for hot plates. Living Fresh Market on Roosevelt Road has turned into a local magnet this spring, thanks to a busy hot-foods bar tucked inside what local coverage has described as the largest African American-owned supermarket in the country. The full-service grocery shares space with a bakery and other traditional departments, and neighbors say the prepared-foods setup is changing when and how they shop.
Hot bar turns a grocery run into dinner
The store advertises a Hot Foods Bar running from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., alongside a coffee bar, bakery and butcher, according to Living Fresh Market. That ready-to-eat emphasis has made the supermarket a lunchtime and after-work stop for nearby workers and families, with rotating mains and daily specials meant to pair with full-cart shopping trips or quick grab-and-go meals. Store listings and weekly ads highlight how the business is leaning on…..