Karina's Bakery relocating in downtown Mundelein
Karina's Bakery is set to relocate to a different spot in Mundelein after 18 years on Hawley Street.
Owners Rafael Herrera and his daughter, Carina Pineda, plan to renovate the former Bank of America building at 401 N. Seymour Ave. and reopen there this summer. They already have purchased the 3,760-square-foot building, which is in the heart of downtown Mundelein and has been vacant since 2015, village officials said.
Karina's has operated in a 1,100-square-foot space at 668 E. Hawley St. since 2000. The current and new sites are about a half-mile apart.
Mundelein Trustee Ray Semple said the bakery's pending move to Seymour Avenue "will be awesome for downtown."
"Repurposing a longtime building on a premier corner with a bakery and cafe will be a great addition to our downtown," he said.
Herrera and Pineda plan to renovate the interior and exterior of the old bank building. They'll build a kitchen, create space for a cafe inside and have a customer seating area outside, according to village documents. The plumbing, electrical and fire suppression systems will be improved, too.
They'll also tear down the old drive-up canopy for bank customers, among other changes.
In all, the work is expected to cost $214,000, documents indicate.
The village board on Monday approved a $50,000 grant to help fund the renovation. The cash will come from Mundelein's Business Incentive Grant program, which is designed to help local businesses improve their properties.
Instead of getting money up front, recipients are reimbursed for up to half their expenses, with funding capped at $55,000 per recipient.
Trustee Kerston Russell is enthusiastic about the bakery's relocation and expansion.
"That is a success story," Russell said during Monday's board meeting. "I look forward to coming into the new bakery and buying goods."
Responded Pineda: "We're looking forward to it as well."