Giordano's to open by December in Des Plaines' Metropolitan Square

A Giordano's restaurant is coming to Metropolitan Square in downtown Des Plaines, the franchisee announced Wednesday.

The pizzeria will be located in a 1,500-square-foot storefront between existing Potbelly and Panera Bread restaurants near River Road and Pearson Street.

It will have eight tables for dining, and offer pickup and delivery, according to Syed Hassan, the franchise owner.

The Giordano's location will be smaller in scale than a full-sized restaurant - similar to the size of a new Glenview location, Hassan said.

"I think the new concept of Giordano's is to open pickup and delivery stores," he said.

Hassan works for a commissary that has supplied food to Giordano's restaurants for some 25 years, but the Des Plaines restaurant will be the first one he owns.

The storefront currently sits empty, but Hassan expects it to be built out and ready to open by December. He's also applied for a city interior improvement grant.

"We're getting a good response from the city and we are in the final stages of putting the floor plan and blueprints together," he said.