Firehouse-themed restaurant planned for former Fritzl's on Route 12 in Lake Zurich
A firehouse-themed eatery is planned for the former Fritzl's European Restaurant & Pub, a 36-year mainstay on Route 12 in Lake Zurich that closed last fall.
Station 52 would be a follow up to Station 51 Truck Company Bar & Grill, a firehouse-themed restaurant that opened in June in downtown Antioch.
In a recent Facebook post, owner Kris Schoenberger wrote that he bought the Fritzl's location and is planning a much bigger “twin brother” to the Antioch eatery. Plans call for the Lake Zurich site to be four times the size of the Antioch restaurant.
“It's gonna be a journey to build this location,” he posted.
“But Antioch is just as special,” he added.
Schoenberger also opened BBQ'd Productions in 2014 and followed with a second location in 2017 on Route 12 in Lake Zurich and a third in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in late 2020.
Station 51 is a reference to fire stations depicted on the TV shows “Emergency” and “Chicago Fire,” and to honor the 75th anniversary of Schoenberger's grandfather's resort on Highway 51 in Wisconsin.
Station 52 is planned for 377 N. Rand Road and is expected to open sometime in 2024, after significant renovations are completed.
“We're all thrilled to welcome yet another high-quality, unique restaurant destination to Lake Zurich,” said Kyle Kordell, assistant to the village manager.
The former Fritz's has been vacant since last year, when owners Rob and Peter Tschurtz announced its closure with the message “SCHNITZEL HAPPENS!” Robert “Bob” Tschurtz and his sons opened Fritzl's in 1985, naming it after Bob's father, Fritz, a master meat cutter in Austria.
Station 52 will be located across the street from Life Time Fitness, where a ribbon cutting is scheduled for Friday. Construction also is underway for Sanctuary of Lake Zurich, a mixed-use project that includes 23 townhouses and a high-end Italian steakhouse.
“With the completion of the Life Time project, the Sanctuary development fully underway and now Station 52 announcing plans to invest in our village, we know that Lake Zurich continues to be a desirable place to grow businesses and plan for the future,” Kordell said.
Restaurants Korean Blue Ridge BBQ, Hay Chihuahua Mexican, Vault 232, Popeyes, La Michoacana and a new location for Papagus Gyros have also opened in the past year in Lake Zurich.