The Biz Week That Was: New arcades, Indian eatery and downtown redevelopment among highlights
Redevelopment proposal would bring significant upgrades to prominent corner in downtown Lake Zurich
Lake Zurich officials unofficially have approved a proposal to buy, redevelop and enhance a prominent downtown corner property. Negotiations are ongoing with Wauconda-based True North Properties Inc., to buy the village-owned parcel on the northeast corner of Main Street and Old Rand Road and make $1.5 million or more in improvements.
Hidden gems in the suburbs: Scratchboard Kitchen serves meals from farm to table
High quality seasonal food made from scratch sets apart Scratchboard Kitchen at 5 W. Campbell St., in Arlington Heights. The eatery was among 48 businesses picked in 2023 for the Illinois Made program.
Naansense expands to the suburbs with two new locations
Naansense, a Chicago fast-casual Indian brand, opened its first suburban location in Naperville this week. Another location is set to open in Oak Brook this year. The Naperville location opened Tuesday at 1211 E. Ogden Ave., near Naperville Road in the new development in the Costco parking lot, which includes tenants such as Kura Sushi. The Oak Brook location is coming soon to 1715 W. 22nd St., in the new development across from Oakbrook Mall at the southwest intersection of Route 83 and 22nd Street.
Round1 Bowling & Arcade to open this summer in former Sears Grand space at Gurnee Mills
An aggressively expanding arcade/entertainment business will be filling a long vacant space at Gurnee Mills. Round1 Bowling & Arcade plans to open a 70,000-square-foot center this summer offering bowling, billiards, arcade games, karaoke, party rooms, kids play zone and all-inclusive party packages, according to Simon Property Group, which owns and operates Gurnee Mills. Plans for Round1 were announced last June, but no opening date was given. Simon this week said the expected opening date for Round1 is in August.
Will the Headless Horseman arcade ride after all? Man finds new space for business in Wheeling
A suburban entrepreneur has given extra life to his plan to open an arcade in Wheeling. In 2022, Udey Kumra proposed launching the Headless Horseman at 82 E. Dundee Road, but withdrew his request for a special village permit that November after the landlord offered the space to a different business. Kumra now intends to operate the arcade at 1918 S. Wolf Road, in long-vacant space last occupied by a bakery that closed in 2006. The village board unanimously approved a permit for the new location Monday.