Da Jewels remained the biggest grocer in the Chicago metro area by market share last year.

Driving the news: Though it tops the list, Jewel-Osco slipped by nearly 2% from 2021, according to the latest data from Chain Store Guide, which tracks the retail and food service industries.

• Meanwhile, Walmart's local share rose by nearly 4% in 2022.

Why it matters: The primacy of these two mid-range stores defies predictions from a decade ago — after the demise of Dominick's — that the market would soon be dominated by high-end, specialty or budget stores.

Yes, but: Walmart's recent closing of four Chicago stores, following the company's claims the stores weren't turning a profit, may end up decreasing the store's market share this year.

Context: The rest of our local 2022 list aligned pretty closely with the 2021 list.

The big picture: The amount Americans spend on groceries is getting crushed by the amount we spend dining out in the post-pandemic era.

• People spent 20.7% more at restaurants than they spent on groceries in 2022 — and that figure rose to 29.5% in the first two months of this year, according to Commerce Department data compiled by JLL, Axios' Nathan Bomey writes.

The intrigue: The list bears little resemblance to our readers' favorite local stores, which include Trader Joe's and Mariano's, according to a 2021 Axios survey.

Reality check: These data look at the whole multicounty metro area and measure market share rather than popularity.

• One poll suggests that the nation's "favorite" grocery store is actually Batavia-based Aldi.

What we're watching: Which stores our current readers like best.

• Take this survey to rank your favorite spots, or hit reply to tell us about cool stores outside the top list.

Chicago dedicates just 4% of its downtown space to parking.

• That's one of the smallest percentages among big cities nationwide, according to a new report from Parking Reform Network.

Why it matters: More parking lots mean less walkability, the network asserts.

What they're saying: "With all this parking, little land [is] left for anything else, making housing more expensive, less dense and farther apart," the network says on its website. "It's clear that if we want to have walkable cities, we need cities that are less parkable."

Zoom out: Chicago has a greater share of central city space devoted to parking than New York City and Washington, D.C.; San Francisco devotes the least parking acreage in its downtown.

• Yes, but: We're a far cry from driver-friendly cities like Houston, where parking gobbles up 26% of downtown.
• Other asphalt lovers include Columbus, Ohio, and Arlington, Texas.

Check out all the parking lot maps here

👮🏼‍♂ Interim police superintendent Eric Carter has announced his retirement after 30 years on the force. His last day will be May 15, the day Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson is sworn in. (Tribune)

🎶 One of Chicago's oldest companies, the harp manufacturer Lyon & Healy, is leaving the Near West Side to set up shop in Galewood. (Sun-Times)

🍎 The Bad Apple is branching out to a second location in the long-vacant John Barleycorn's in Lincoln Park. (Block Club)

Comedian Pat McGann has opened for megastar Sebastian Maniscalco for years, playing huge venues from Madison Square Garden to the United Center.

• But this weekend, McGann will grab the mic for his first headlining gig at the Chicago Theatre, where he'll perform two shows.

What they're saying: "To be at the Chicago Theatre is incredible," McGann told Axios.

• "Seeing this support in my hometown makes me feel truly connected to this city. I can't wait."

Context: The comedian has been performing for decades in the Chicago area, but he's found new life on social media with hilarious clips that fit perfectly into bite-size reels and videos.

• The hometown hero hails from Beverly, which, of course, plays a crucial role in his perfect day in Chicago.

🍳 Breakfast: "Let's begin in my neighborhood at The Original Pancake House on Western Avenue. I love their ham and egg scramble."

🏰 Morning activity: "The morning will be spent doing a walking tour of Beverly's historic homes, checking out the Irish Castle & Longwood Drive."

🍔 Lunch: "Top Notch on 95th Street. It's been there 75 years and in my opinion has the best cheeseburger on the South Side. Maybe the city."

• "I'm getting mine with grilled onions and pickles."

More picks

💼 Check out who's hiring on our Job Board.

1. Customer Service and Trade Administration Manager at Vienna Beef.
2. Executive Director at Polk County Housing Trust Fund.
3. Director of Product - Assets & Renewals at CDW.

Want more opportunities? Check out our Job Board.

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Environmentalists are preparing to launch Chicago's first Climate Action Museum (CAM) this June.

What's happening: Tomorrow, on Earth Day, organizers are throwing a "Fun-Raiser," to raise money for the museum near Jackson Boulevard and the Chicago River, at 300 S. Riverside Drive. A $120 ticket gets you:

• Open drink and taco bars, as well as dance grooves by DJs NIZM and SolarBeatz.
• Plus, climate action sketch comedy (yes, sketch comedy) by the CAM Comedy Players.

What they're saying: CAM leader and architect Doug Farr says the event is about raising dough and building community but also about upending the defeatist vibe of some climate gatherings.

• "Bringing in a classically trained Chicago sketch comedy troupe to make climate funny is a deliberate move to avoid a doomsday tone," Farr tells Axios.

The ultimate goal: To show visitors "specific choices people can make today: how to insulate their home, how to switch out their gas-burning appliances for electric, the choice to take staycation in favor of air travel, etc.," Farr says.

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