Rack House Kitchen and Tavern closes in Arlington Heights

Rack House Kitchen and Tavern in Arlington Heights closed for good over the weekend because of the impact of COVID-19, its owners said.

The barbecue restaurant opened in March 2013 at 222 E. Algonquin Road, offering a menu of smokehouse items and drink list that included whiskeys, bourbons and craft beers. It replaced a Boston Blackie's that shut its doors in 2010.

Waiters at Rack House already were telling patrons on Saturday that it was their last day in business. Owners made it official on their Facebook page after dining service Saturday night.

"We appreciate all of our amazing customers that got us this far, and all of our loyal staff for sticking with us until the end," they wrote. "It has been a great pleasure serving you for the past 8 years while creating memories that will last a lifetime."

The closure leaves a 10,000-square-foot restaurant space on the village's south side vacant, in an area Arlington Heights officials and local developers have been priming for redevelopment.