New Chinese restaurant coming to Schaumburg, Mexican restaurant expanding

A new Chinese restaurant in Schaumburg will be filling the vacancy left by another years ago, while an existing Mexican restaurant will be expanding along with its affiliated grocery store.

Schaumburg trustees Tuesday approved plans for the Lao Sze Chuan Chinese restaurant to open in the 1,850-square-foot building at 1220 Valley Lake Drive. The building, just north of the WINGS Resale Store at the intersection of Golf Road, was constructed in 1976 and expanded in 1981 for the Smiling Buddha restaurant.

Owner Kenny Chen said he's aiming for the new restaurant to open in October.

Meanwhile, El Mercadito grocery store and restaurant at 1055 N. Salem Drive in the Salem Plaza Shopping Center will move its restaurant into the 1,500-square-foot store front on its east side.

The restaurant currently occupies 600 square feet of the business' existing 3,000-square-foot space, but the grocery store will take over the entirety of that space.

Owner Dora Marquez said the construction work will begin on Monday, and she hopes it can be finished in a month or two.

The business has operated for more than 20 years and has long wanted to expand, but didn't have the ability to do it until now, she added.