AN ECO SYSTEM.

>>> IT'S BEEN A WHOLE YEAR SINCE WHOLE FOOD MADE THE SURPRISE ANNOUNCEMENT IT WAS SHUTTING DOWN ITS ENGELWOOD LOCATION.

IT HAS BEEN A SITE OF CONTROVERSY SINCE IT WAS ANNOUNCED SAVE A LOT OPERATOR YELLOW BANANA WAS TAKING OVER THE LEASE.

CHICAGO TONIGHT'S NICK BLUMBERG SPOKE WITH TWO OF THE COMPANY LEADERS ABOUT THE PUSHBACK THEY HAVE GOTTEN AND HOW THEY HOPE TO WIN OVER CHICAGOANS.

>> Reporter: MICHAEL NANN SAYS HE KNOWS WHAT IT IS LIKE TO WAKE UP WITH PARENTS STRUGGLING TO GET BY.

>> WE SHOPPED AT A LOCAL SAVE A LOT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

I WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE STORE AND UNDERTHAT IT HAD SUFFERED FROM A LACK OF INVESTMENT OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS.

>> Reporter: HE IS ONE OF THE COFOUNDERS OF YELLOW BANANA.

A MAJORITY BLACK OWNED COMPANY THAT RUNS 38 SAVE A LOTS ACROSS FIVE STATES.

>> WHAT WE HAVE TRIED TO MAKE OUR CALLING CARD IS TO GO INTO LOCALITIES THAT OTHER PEOPLE WON'T GO INTO.

>> Reporter: HE SAYS WHOLE FOODS APPROACHED HIS COMPANY LAST SPRING ABOUT TAKING OVER THE SPACE IN ENGELWOOD.

>> BASED ON THE LEASE TERMS THERE, IT DIDN'T WORK WITH OUR MODEL.

WHOLE FOODS WOULDN'T SHOP THE DEAL AND NO ONE BIT.

>> Reporter: WHOLE FOODS AND YELLOW BANANA STRUCK A DEAL THIS PAST FALL ANGERING RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS OPPOSED TO A SAVE A LOT.

>> WE DO NOT WANT SAVE A LOT, YELLOW BANANA OR WHOLE FOODS TO BE HERE.

>> Reporter: A DEMONSTRATION EARLIER THIS MONTH DELAYED THE STORE'S SOFT OPENING.

BUT YELLOW BANANA CEO JOE CANFIELD SAYS THEY ARE PROUD OF THIS LOCATION.

>> I DON'T EXPECT NOR WOULD I ASK ANYONE TO TRUST US.

WE JUST WANT TO OPEN THE DOORS, HAVE PEOPLE COME EXPERIENCE THIS LOCATION.

BECAUSE IT IS A GORGEOUS LOCATION.

>> SO A LOT OF THE PUSHBACK HERE IN ENGLEWOOD HAS BEEN ABOUT THE REPUTATION AFTER THE SAVE A LOT BRAND ITSELF.

ARE YOU HOPEFUL YOU CAN CHANGE PEOPLE'S PERCEPTION?

>> SURE.

FIRST, LET ME ACKNOWLEDGE.

I UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE HAVE THE PERCEPTIONS THAT THEY HAVE.

ABOUT SAVE A LOT.

I DON'T THINK THEY ARE UNFOUNDED FOR HAVING THOSE PERCEPTIONS.

THE SAME REASON PEOPLE HAVE THOSE PERCEPTIONS IS THE SAME WAY WE ARE GOING TO TURN THE TIDE IS BY SHOWING PEOPLE WHAT THE EXPERIENCE IS LIKE.

>> Reporter: CANFIELD SAYS CALL TO BRAND THE STORE AS SOMETHING OTHER THAN SAVE A LOT WOULD VIOLATE THEIR CONTRACT.

BUT BECAUSE OF WHAT WHOLE FOODS LEFT LIKE A BAKERY, A HOT FOOD BAR, A COFFEE BAR, THE LOCATION GIVES THEM A CHANCE TO PILOT A NEW MODEL.

>> WE HAVE ACTUALLY OFFERED THOSE SPACES OUT TO LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS.

>> Reporter: COFOUNDER NANN SAYS FACING PROTEST AND PUSHBACK HAS BEEN FRUSTRATING.

>> WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ENGLEWOOD STAKE HOLDERS AND LEADERSHIP.

THAT'S IMPORTANT TO US.

WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT IS PROVIDING GROCERIES IN THIS COMMUNITY.

>> ARE YOU HOPEFUL YOU CAN FORGE A MORE POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH RESIDENTS?

WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS?

>> YEAH, FOR SURE.

I WISH THAT THINGS HAD STARTED OFF DIFFERENTLY HERE IN ENGLEWOOD.

I WISH I KNEW IT.

AND WE WOULD HAVE HANDLED IT DIFFERENTLY AND TRY TO BE AS ACCOMMODATING AS POSSIBLE.

BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE CAN'T FORGE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP GOING FORWARD.

>> Reporter: THIS WEEK, SAVE A LOT'S CEO AND CFO MET WITH THE LOCAL ALDER PERSON IN AN EFFORT TO START THAT PROCESS.

>> SO WHAT KIND OF A TIMELINE DO YOU HAVE IN MIND FOR A SOFT OPENING?

A GRAND OPENING?

>> WE HAVEN'T SETTLED ON ANYTHING YET BUT WE WANT TO GET THE DOORS OPEN AS FAST AS POSSIBLE.

YOU WANT TO OFFER QUALITY PRODUCTS IN A WELL STOCKED WELL KEPT STORE.

THAT'S WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO.

>> Reporter: FOR CHICAGO TONIGHT, I'M NICK BLUMBERG.

>> CUSTOMERS CAN EXPECT FRESH CUT MEAT, LOCAL PRODUCE AND NAME BRAND PRODUCTS IN THEIR STORES.

THEY ARE ALSO WORKING