Arlington Heights Egg Harbor to close for renovation, expansion
The Egg Harbor Cafe in Arlington Heights will close temporarily later this month so workers can renovate the restaurant, modernize the aging kitchen and expand into a neighboring property.
Ivan Arriola, a manager at the 110 E. Wing St. location, said the renovation will happen in two phases. During phase one, which take place with the business closed from Feb. 22 through March 4, new floors and carpet will be added to the main dining room and extensive work will be done to the kitchen, which hasn't received many upgrades since the cafe opened in 1988.
“Some of the equipment is quite old and the kitchen needs new layout,” Arriola said. “We're going to get a new freezer and walk-in because it is still the same one from 26 years ago.”
Over the course of those 26 years, the breakfast and lunch restaurant has enjoyed popularity to the point where Arriola said there is usually a 30- to 40-minute wait for a table on weekends. The opportunity to expand arose recently when the Subway restaurant located a few doors down closed, allowing a reshuffling of the businesses in the Wing Street development.
Phase two will see Egg Harbor expand into the space currently occupied by Fannie May in March or April. Arriola said crews will be able to work on the new space without interrupting business until the time comes for them to make a door between the existing restaurant and the expansion.
Bill Enright, the deputy director of planning and community development for Arlington Heights, said the expansion will add about 25 seats to the restaurant.
“We're excited about it,” Enright said. “They are a great business in town and we're glad to see they're expanding.”