Schaumburg Champps to be demolished for new McDonald's

The Champps sports bar just west of Woodfield Mall - where Chicago Blackhawks owner Rocky Wirtz first met future team President John McDonough - will be leveled in the coming weeks to make way for a new McDonald's store, according to Schaumburg officials.

Matt Frank, the assistant director of community development for Schaumburg, said McDonald's bought the Champps location at 955 E. Golf Road last month. He said the Oak Brook-based corporation has been looking to build near Woodfield for a while.

"I've been talking to McDonald's for several years, at least two years," Frank said. "They've been looking for a spot near the mall where they could put a drive-through."

Champps first opened in 1996. Champps corporate officials could not be reached for comment on why the Schuamburg location closed.

Perhaps the most famous event ever held there was the meeting between Wirtz and McDonough on Nov. 10, 2007. Wirtz had just assumed control of the Blackhawks after the death of his father, Bill, and McDonough was president of the Cubs. McDonough told the Daily Herald in 2010 he didn't think they would be discussing anything too important.

"I believed it was a 'Can you tell me about the sports landscape' kind of thing," McDonough said at the time. "And about an hour into it, he said, 'I'm going to lose all my leverage when I tell you this: I want you to run the Blackhawks.'"

Frank said McDonald's intends to demolish the building as soon as they are able to, likely some time in August. The building was built in 1982 and was initially the site of Grisanti's Italian Restaurant.

Frank said the new McDonald's will likely open next year.