New uses for 2 former restaurant sites in Bloomingdale
Two former restaurant sites along Army Trail Road in Bloomingdale are expected to get new uses — one as a Starbucks and the other as a Chick-fil-A.
The village board this week approved a plan to replace a shuttered Pizza Hut at 430 W. Army Trail with a new building that will house a Starbucks and a mattress store.
Meanwhile, there is a proposal to put a Chick-fil-A in the closed Applebee's restaurant at 354 W. Army Trail. Chick-fil-A, which is famous for its chicken sandwiches and waffle fries, has been opening stores throughout the region.
Bloomingdale's plan commissioners are scheduled to get their first look at the Chick-fil-A proposal next month.
Village President Franco Coladipietro said the Applebee's closed last year and the Pizza Hut has been vacant for more than five years.
“We're excited to see there's renewed interest in what we think are great locations for the retail community,” Coladipietro said Tuesday.
Cornersite Commercial Real Estate, which is buying the Pizza Hut site, plans to tear it down and construct a 6,003-square-foot building with spaces for two tenants.
Sleepy's, a mattress retailer, will take up about 4,200 square feet, officials said. Starbucks will occupy about 1,800 square feet and have a drive-through window.
Cornersite was able to get permission from the owners of a neighboring Toys R Us to add a drive that will connect both properties. That will allow customers to access the traffic signal at the intersection of Army Trail and Knollwood Drive.
“I was glad they were able to work that out,” Coladipietro said. “I think it benefits all the properties there.”
With tens of thousands of cars and trucks traveling the Army Trail corridor daily, the area historically has done “very well relative to retail,” Coladipietro said.
Still, he says future development won't be limited to parcels along the busy road. He said the village hopes to lure new stores to Stratford Square Mall and the Stratford Crossing shopping center along Gary Avenue. “We're seeing some really good proposals for projects come in.” he said.