Mexican restaurant switcheroo: Fat Rosie's to replace On the Border in Schaumburg

Schaumburg's On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina restaurant at 870 N. Meacham Road closed last week but is expected to be succeeded by Fat Rosie's Taco & Tequila Bar within a couple months.

"We don't anticipate a lot of downtime in between," Schaumburg Economic Development Director Matt Frank said. "It's a great location, right on Meacham."

Fat Rosie's is a Mexican restaurant chain within the Chicago-based Francesca's Restaurant Group. While the parent company has traditionally been known for Italian fare, it has been branching out, Frank said.

The building is expected to undergo only cosmetic changes that include the remodeling of its bar, Frank said. The new restaurant's ownership is expected to apply for its liquor license next week and has made an effort to hire some of the former staff from On the Border, he added.

Meanwhile, a sign on the vacant building's door is directing former patrons of the On the Border restaurant to three of the chain's remaining locations in Algonquin, St. Charles and Vernon Hills.