New BBQ restaurant, Panera, Xfinity Store opening this summer in Gurnee
A new BBQ restaurant, Panera Bread and Xfinity Store are coming this summer to Gurnee in the new commercial building near the intersection of Grand Avenue and Hunt Club Road near Gurnee Mills.
Crews are working on the interiors of all three businesses, which are located in the new 15,000-square-foot building at 6430-6440 Grand Ave.
The new building is where the Advocate Condell Outpatient Building used to be. According to village documents, the hospital building was purchased and demolished last year.
Mission BBQ, a fast casual restaurant chain that pays tribute to military, police and fire personnel, is planning on having its grand opening on July 16, said general manager Kelli Pesola. The week before they open they will have charity nights for area veterans as well as the Gurnee police and fire departments. The proceeds each night go to a charity of each group's choosing.
In front of the restaurant a large military-style vehicle with an attached smoker is parked. Pesola said the vehicle is called a "Bam-Bam" and that each of the 65 locations has one they can take to events they are catering. The restaurant will be the second Mission BBQ location in Illinois.
"Our food is all handcrafted, we have no freezers or microwaves, everything is made fresh daily," Pesola said during the Monday night village board meeting.
At the meeting, the board approved a liquor license for Mission BBQ that allows the restaurant to serve beer.
The Panera Bread will be located on the west side of the new building. The Panera location at 6557 Grand Ave. will be moving to the new building this summer.
Jack Linehan, the assistant to the village administrator, said they are moving locations because the new building will have a drive-through lane. Once the old Panera is gone, a McAlister's Deli will move in to the 6557 Grand Ave. location.
The Xfinity Store will open this summer and allow shoppers to sample the company's products and services. It will also be a place where Xfinity customers will be able to pay bills, pick up and return equipment, and get assistance.