Armand's Pizzeria moving into former Circa 57 in Arlington Heights
Armand's Pizzeria in Arlington Heights will move down the street into the larger location vacated last year by Circa 57, the 1950s-style diner at Vail Avenue and Campbell Street.
Anthony Gambino, a restaurateur who owns Salseria and HB Jones in Elmhurst as well as 10 Armands in the city and suburbs, said Friday he looks forward to relocating to the bigger restaurant space.
Armand's will close its 70 Vail Ave. location at the end of November and reopen at 101 W. Campbell St. on Dec. 1, Gambino said.
"It will be seamless," he said. "It's a great spot that's a little bit bigger with a little bit more seating."
The restaurant plans to partner with Halfway House Golf to include a room with golf simulators, he said. A similar concept already exists at his Elmhurst restaurant, HB Jones, where patrons bring their own clubs and balls and play in front of a virtual screen.
"It adds a little bit of fun," Gambino said. "People golf, they eat, they drink, it's a whole experience."
Armand's serves pizza, pasta and traditional Italian entrees. It has been in the Chicago area for nearly 60 years.
Broker Sperry Van Ness handled the sale of the former Circa 57 building, according to a news release. The sale closed May 23 for the 4,700-square-foot space, with a purchase price of $1,325,000.
Gambino said his company is renting the space on Vail. There is not yet another tenant lined up for that location, he added.
The owners of Circa 57 performed a massive renovation at the 101 W. Campbell St. building before opening in 2013, including bringing the former People's Bank space next door under their roof to create a larger restaurant. The diner featured staples of yesteryear, including chicken potpie, meatloaf, a traditional soda counter and 1950s cars on display. Circa 57 closed in September 2015, leaving a large vacancy at the popular corner of downtown Arlington Heights.