Best Day Ever: Bob Mariano of Dom's

An important architect of this trend is Bob Mariano, who has served as the CEO of Dominick's and created Mariano's.

• He then ventured into the specialty grocery business with Dom's in 2021.

What he's saying: "Today customers are different than they were in the past. They are looking for the opportunity to share a moment with friends, family, or just themselves," Mariano tells Axios.

🛒 Since Mariano knows the area so well, we asked him what his perfect day in Chicago would look like. Hint: It does include grocery stores. 😊

🥞 Breakfast: "My favorite breakfast in the world is the ancient grain pancakes with blueberries, barley flour, spelt, oats and flax from the Peninsula Hotel."

😅 Morning activity: "Work out, then work, work, work! As long as I’m able to work, it's the best day ever!"

🍣 Lunch: "Dom's of course. I alternate between the Hearth's special of the day, a prosciutto sandwich on focaccia, and a bento box with nigiri."

🤝 Afternoon activity: "Work! My hobby is interacting with customers and team members."

🥩 Dinner: "Spaghetti aglio e olio and branzino from Piccolo Sogno or the NY Strip with french fries from Gibson's."

📺 Evening activity: "Chill and watch TV."