Nathaniel Rodwell-Simon

An expired business certificate notice on the door of Hyde Park Produce.

Hyde Park Produce did not reopen Thursday morning despite operating the previous evening. A sign posted on the door stated that the store’s certificate of registration from the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) had expired.

Retail business licenses are issued annually but are automatically renewed if the store is in full compliance with its “filing and payment requirements.” A business license may be revoked if past-due taxes have not been filed or a payment plan has not been established, according to information shared with the Maroon by the IDOR.

An IDOR spokesperson told the Maroon that they could not provide specifics about Hyde Park Produce’s tax compliance status or the reason for the expiration of its license, citing tax confidentiality laws.

The IDOR notice on the door stated that businesses selling products after their license had expired were guilty of a class A misdemeanor and subject to criminal prosecution. Class A misdemeanors carry a potential prison sentence of less than a year.

The owner of Hyde Park Produce did not respond to requests for comment.

Shelves at Hyde Park Produce have been notably emptier than usual in recent weeks, particularly in the frozen goods section.

Hyde Park Produce previously closed in April 2024 for seven weeks due to an electrical fire, which, according to the store’s owner, caused a budget deficit due to prolonged negotiations with its insurer. A GoFundMe campaign launched in December 2024 successfully raised over $60,000 for the store.