Larson helped shape Schaumburg's booming restaurant industry

Many by now know that Schaumburg Mayor Al Larson has held his current office for 32 years, following 12 years as village trustee, and that he's retiring on Tuesday.

But not as many may know he's played an especially significant role in Schaumburg's booming restaurant market as the village's liquor commissioner for the same 32 years.

Larson received his last two liquor license requests this week from restaurants planning to open this fall in and near Woodfield Mall.

Harry & Wallace is a beer garden-style restaurant that will be in the mall's new dining pavilion on the upper level near Sears. In addition to beer and wine, the restaurant - which recently opened its first location in Knoxville, Tennessee, - serves a variety of finger foods, company representatives said.

The second request came from Shake Shack, which plans to open its seventh Illinois location in the Woodfield Gatherings outlot development in the northwest corner of the mall's parking lot along Golf Road.

Two other recently announced restaurants in the mall's dining pavilion are expected to open Wednesday, May 1, according to Woodfield's website.

They are Pho Cafe, which will offer Vietnamese cuisine, and Ahi Poke, which will serve Hawaiian dishes.