BUCKTOWN — Iconic Chicago hot dog and sausage maker Vienna Beef is revamping its former factory space in Bucktown to once again house its corporate headquarters, a restaurant and more.

The company announced Tuesday work is underway on a $20 million redevelopment of its former factory space, 2501 N. Damen Ave., to become “Vienna Beef Plaza.” The complex will feature offices and the restaurant as well as a factory store and additional retail space for other companies.

The move comes three years after Vienna Beef closed its store and cafe in the building and moved its corporate offices to the West Loop. The company shifted production operations to a facility in Bridgeport in 2015.

The Bucktown site was then slated to become a Drive Shack driving range, a project which fell through during the pandemic, Vienna Beef vice president Tom McGlade said Tuesday.

Now, the hot dog maker is returning to a building it’s called home since the 1970s — with some significant changes.

Artie wrote:Vienna Beef Reopening Restaurant, Corporate Headquarters At Former Bucktown Factory

BUCKTOWN — Iconic Chicago hot dog and sausage maker Vienna Beef is revamping its former factory space in Bucktown to once again house its corporate headquarters, a restaurant and more.

The company announced Tuesday work is underway on a $20 million redevelopment of its former factory space, 2501 N. Damen Ave., to become “Vienna Beef Plaza.” The complex will feature offices and the restaurant as well as a factory store and additional retail space for other companies.

The move comes three years after Vienna Beef closed its store and cafe in the building and moved its corporate offices to the West Loop. The company shifted production operations to a facility in Bridgeport in 2015.

The Bucktown site was then slated to become a Drive Shack driving range, a project which fell through during the pandemic, Vienna Beef vice president Tom McGlade said Tuesday.

Now, the hot dog maker is returning to a building it’s called home since the 1970s — with some significant changes.

Michelin-Starred Tasting Menu Claudia Closes After a Year and a Half

nsxtasy wrote:Etta, which has Chicago locations in River North and Bucktown, will be opening in the new Evanston Labs building at Clark and Orrington in Evanston (formerly the site of Burger King).

Etta restaurant to open in Evanston (Crain's, subscription required)

Etta website

nsxtasy wrote:Penzeys, the spice merchant, has opened a store in downtown Evanston, at 1615 Sherman.

Dave148 wrote:Attention JoelF:
Joe Donut recently opened at:
720 E. Rand
Mount Prospect

There are signs in the window at 1924 W. Division Street for a new tenant. Phodega

A unique and amazing opportunity came to us to open an HBFC in a historic building, and a renovated and existing restaurant space in the heart of Glencoe at 668 Vernon Avenue. A suburb on Chicagoland’s North Shore, Glencoe is 17 miles north of HBFC Avondale and approximately a 20-30 minute drive from our original location. It has a family-friendly community that we are looking forward to serving. Opening an HBFC in the suburbs seemed like a natural fit, as many of our customers drive in to visit HBFC in Chicago for special occasions. Now we can bring HBFC closer to them!

As far as the menu goes, we will still offer our original Avondale location food and beverage favorites but are stoked to dish out some new items as well, like a grilled chicken option, more salad offerings, and more robust collaboration/offerings from our friends at Bang Bang Pie & Biscuits. (We are also hopeful to then add some of these new items at HBFC Avondale as well.)

We are hopeful for a Fall 2023 opening - follow the opening journey on our Instagram and Facebook accounts.

Dear Friends,

There’s no easy way to convey this so we’re just going to come out with it: After several weeks of closure due to an infrastructure emergency, wherewithall will not be reopening. Since launching wherewithall in July 2019, we have loved bringing our casual prix fixe, ever-changing-menu restaurant to Chicago. But a third re-opening in four years is something we just don’t have the “wherewithal” to do. We would like to thank all of you—our guests, our supporters, our neighbors, our friends and our entire staff—for being part of wherewithall’s life and memories.

Had we launched wherewithall at another time, who knows? The restaurant might have enjoyed a much longer life. But forces of nature that were beyond our control intervened, and we have given ourselves over to acceptance, and a willingness to go where the universe is nudging us.

In happier news: Please stay tuned—we intend to bring something new and exciting to the space later this year! We lovingly close this chapter for now and will let you know about the next very soon. Until then, thank you for being a part of our lives and restaurants.

Sincerely,
Beverly and Johnny
wherewithall 7/16/2019 - 6/14/2023

All good things come to an end…or do they?
Long story short, we lost our lease.
We’ve loved serving up Chicagoland’s best pies since 1957 and hosting all your birthdays, graduations and celebrations over the decades.
Stop by or order by June 30. We’d love to serve you one last pizza or other Italian specialty.
We’ll also have half baked pizzas you can freeze for later or call a day in advance and we’ll have them ready and frozen the next day.
Thanks for all the memories.

More dining variety is headed to Wilmette. Greek restaurant Taverna Naxos plans to occupy 111 Green Bay Road, a site left vacant by Firefly Kitchen in 2020.

bbqbyrds wrote:Just saw this Facebook post from Pearls Southern Comfort,
5352 N Broadway St, Chicago, IL, United States, Illinois
"We are very proud of what we have accomplished in our 8 plus years in Edgewater-Chicago. It is bittersweet that we are announcing that Saturday, June 24th will be our last day of service. We could have never done this without the support of every guest who came through our doors. To everyone of our staff members, from our opening team to our current Krewe, we are forever grateful for all of your help. Hope to see many of you in our last week of business.
Thank you all so much!!
Danny and Rich"
Does anyone know why this is happening? It is really coming out of the blue.

Clumsy Cow could be seen as a barbecue bonus, something the crew behind Industry Ales didn’t plan, but embraced when the opportunity arose in the Loop.

Next to the legendary Central Camera store, Clumsy Cow (named for the legend behind the Great Chicago Fire) takes barbecue stylings from different regions of the country, including Chicago, the land of sweet sauces and aquarium smokers, and blends them to create something new. Chef Alexander Willis has a menu of ribs, brisket, and a smoked mortadella sandwich served on a torpedo roll and drizzled with a smoked pistachio barbecue sauce made with jalapeños.

While Industry Ales’ beers won’t be served at Clumsy Cow, the team is looking for ways to riff off each other with Central Camera sandwiched in the middle of both. Check back for updates later this summer and look at some of the food below.

"Holy Buckets, a new restaurant, will be occupying the former Chipotle space on McCormick Blvd. by the Lincolnwood Town Center mall. The groupdiscussed the new restaurant coming to the Village"

marothisu wrote:Owner of Nepal House seems to be cooking up something at 158 W Division St in Old Town/Gold Coast.

the new location will have almost the same layout and interior design as the two other locations, but it will serve Nepalese food options only. The other two locations feature Indian-Nepalese cuisine.

The GP wrote:Another ice cream spot has opened at 5940 N Lincoln. Rita's of West Ridge has taken over the former Christian Science Reading Room.

https://www.ritasice.com/location/ritas ... -ridge-il/