Arlington Hts. supermarket may have cafe

Roundy's Supermarkets Inc. plans to put an indoor-outdoor cafe in the grocery store under construction at 802 E. Northwest Hwy. at Kensington Road in Arlington Heights.

The request for a special use permit for the cafe/deli has been submitted to a subcommittee of the plan commission and eventually will need approval by the village board, said Matt Dabrowski, development planner for the village. The village staff supports the request.

This store will be the Milwaukee-based company's entre into the Chicago area, but Roundy's is not ready to say when the store will open or what its name will be, said Vivian King, director of public affairs. More information will be released in March, she said.

The village expects the store to open in May or June, said Charles Witherington-Perkins, director of planning and community development.

The company plans to put 37 seats in 520 square feet in the store, with fair-weather seating outside for 24 people in 450 square feet.

The deli would have a full kitchen and serve a variety of items, including dinner entrees, chicken, pizza, sandwiches and appetizers, according to a village staff report. A diagram that the company submitted also shows a sushi bar.

Eventually the company will have to provide a copy of the menu and information such as hours of operation and total number of employees, the report said.

"Arlington Heights is very proud Roundy's has chosen Arlington Heights for its entry into the Chicagoland market," said Mayor Arlene Mulder.

She also said she has been working hard to get a grocery store in this neighborhood in the decade since the Arlington Market Jewel closed a store across the street from where Roundy's is building.

The store will have a total of 69,000 square feet. Roundy's operates stores under the names Pick 'n Save, Copps, Rainbow Foods and Metro Market.