Chick-fil-A to open new suburban location this week
Chick-fil-A is opening its newest restaurant in Skokie near Old Orchard Mall Thursday.
Franchise owner Michael Kim is launching the area's 25th chicken sandwich restaurant, bringing about 85 new jobs and a chance for 100 adults to win free meals for a year. The opening comes nearly seven years after Chick-fil-A opened its first restaurant in the area in Aurora.
The newest eatery, known for its fresh hand-breaded chicken breast sandwich, waffle fries and signature freshly squeezed lemonade, is at 9341 Skokie Boulevard in Skokie. The Atlanta-based chain's traditional opening celebration begins Wednesday with a family friendly overnight First 100 party in the restaurant parking lot 24 hours before the grand opening as guests try to be one of the first 100 people through the door to win a year of free Chick-fil-A meals.
Kim spent his childhood in Skokie, having attended John Middleton Elementary School and Oliver McCracken Middle School. He later fell in love with the restaurant industry while working at his parents' independently owned Japanese restaurant in Arlington Heights while he was in high school.
He attended University of Illinois at Champagne Urbana, completing his bachelor's degree in accountancy and business administration and later earned his MBA in finance at the University of Southern California. Most recently, Kim served as the director of financial planning and analysis for Hospira Inc. in Lake Forest. He says he wants to leverage his past corporate work experience to provide meaningful employment opportunities and develop young leaders in his childhood community. Kim, his wife, Kathy Lee, and their 21-month-old son, Ethan, are looking forward to the adventure, he said.
"I want to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment for each employee and customer who steps through the front door," Kim said.
Reflecting his desire to have a positive impact on the surrounding community, Kim is inviting his First 100 guests and restaurant customers to celebrate the new location by participating in a children's book drive for a local organization.
He is collecting new and gently used children's books from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. on March 8 and March 9. The donated books will be placed in a nearly 3-foot Book House to serve as a free library exchange.