The Biz Week That Was: Indoor adventure park to open, Yard House coming to Naperville
Indoor playground and adventure park Lava Island to make Illinois debut in Kildeer
A former Best Buy store in Kildeer will become home to the first Lava Island Indoor Play Oasis in Illinois. The relative newcomer to the family entertainment scene opened its first location in Aurora, Colorado, in 2018 and is in a growth mode, envisioning dozens of locations across the country.
Yard House to open Naperville location Nov. 23
Yard House will officially make its Naperville debut this month. The restaurant, at 412 S. Route 59 near the Fox Valley Mall, opens Nov. 23, marking the chain’s fourth location in the greater Chicago area. Its other suburban restaurants are in Glenview, Lombard and Vernon Hills.
Chef reconnects with Mexican roots at Salsa 17 in Arlington Heights
Cesar Gutierrez is a chef who grew up in Mexico, but up until now in his professional journey you couldn’t really characterize him as a Mexican chef. After a more than 30-year career that started with southern Italian cuisine and has included long stints in steakhouses and Italian American restaurants, Gutierrez is reconnecting with his heritage as executive chef at Salsa 17 in Arlington Heights.
From hardware to offices? Carlson store in Wheaton could become co-working space
The Carlson Hardware store helped generations of folks in Wheaton prepare for snowstorms, find a crisp American flag for the Fourth of July and repair even the most antique lamps. The shuttered downtown store was part of a family business that began more than a century ago. Now there are plans for the vacant main floor to get new life — and more light bulb moments — as a co-working space.
Boeing defense workers ratify new contract to end 3-month strike in the Midwest
Several thousand Boeing machinists in the Midwest who assemble military aircraft and weapons voted Thursday to approve a new contract, ending a three-month strike that saw them reject four earlier offers from the company. The breakthrough five-year labor agreement includes a 24% wage hike across the life of the contract and a $6,000 signing bonus, according to the union representing the 3,200 workers who walked off the job on Aug. 4.
Hot Butterbeer, limited-edition confectionery treats and merch, a snow globe photo wall, and a holiday tree scavenger hunt are among the magical treats in store for young witches, wizards and muggles at the Harry Potter Shop Chicago.