D.C. Cobb's restaurant to open third location in downtown East Dundee
Dan Hart has noticed a pattern of sorts in the success of his first two D.C. Cobb's restaurants.
Both are in historic downtown districts where infrastructure investment has grown significantly in recent years. Both offer a unique product within expanding communities, Woodstock and McHenry. And both have attracted new visitors to the area, he said, ultimately boosting economic activity.
Hart's next goal is to repeat that business model in East Dundee.
D.C. Cobb's is expected to move into one of two remaining storefronts available at 311 Barrington Ave., a roughly $4 million mixed-use development in the heart of the village's downtown.
Known for its gourmet burgers and changing selection of craft beer on tap, the restaurant has a reputable brand name and an established marketing strategy that investors hope will drive business to the town's up-and-coming culinary district, broker Terry Donati said.
“I can recognize success when I see it,” he said. “(Hart) is the real thing. He's a restaurateur. He understands the necessity of marketing and advertising. We're beyond excited.”
Hart said he “fell in love” with East Dundee and the 311 Barrington development from the moment he and his team went to check out the space.
D.C. Cobb's will take over the building's Far West tenant space, which also has a rooftop dining area overlooking the downtown. The restaurant is expected to open early next year.
“We really felt we could offer a unique product to that area while also helping to bring tourism,” Hart said. “We're just looking to be a part of the (culinary district) and add to the energy going on down there.”
Since D.C. Cobb's signed on to the 311 Barrington building, Donati said he's heard from another business interested in leasing the fourth and final tenant space on the east end.
The development also contains Black & Gray Brewing Co. and Migrate Restaurant, a contemporary American dining establishment with an evolving menu offering flavors from various parts of the world.
It has taken a couple of years to fill the building's first-floor retail space, Donati said, noting investors and brokers have been selective in choosing tenants. They want operators to complement one another, as well as the other uses downtown, he said.
Once all the storefronts are occupied, Donati added, developers will be eligible to receive some of the incremental property and sales tax revenue that has been generated from that property, per an agreement with East Dundee.
In addition to burgers, including a build-your-own option, D.C. Cobb's offers salads, sandwiches and wraps, mac and cheese, and a variety of appetizers and beverages. The menu will mirror those in Woodstock and McHenry, Hart said.