Beef Shack returning to St. Charles after closing in 2020
The Shack is coming back.
Beef Shack is making plans to open in the former TitleMax building at 2015 W. Main St. in St. Charles, near its former location, which closed in February 2020. That restaurant, which opened in 2011, was the first Beef Shack in the franchise chain.
The building is at the intersection of West Main Street and Randall Road.
"We're very excited about that location," said Dan Perillo, CEO of Beef Shack and president of Rosati's Pizza, in talking about the plans. "There's a lot of traffic on Main Street and Randall Road. So we're very excited to be at that location."
Perillo is a St. Charles resident. The chain is known for its Cheezy Beef on garlic bread. It also sells burgers, Chicago-style Vienna Beef hot dogs, sandwiches, salads, shakes and other items.
"We're very, very ecstatic about coming back to St. Charles, where it all began," he said. "It's going to be bigger and better. That's the way I look at it."
Beef Shack also has locations in Elgin, Huntley, Bartlett, Joliet and DeKalb. Plans are to add more locations in the coming months.
The fact that the building is so close to its previous location is just a coincidence, he said.
"Property that has a drive-through capability is hard to find," Perillo said. And we're going to have a drive-through there."
The previous restaurant did not have a drive-through.
About a month ago, the company signed a long-term lease for the building. The goal is for the restaurant to open by the end of the year.
"We're hoping to start construction after we have all the permits and it's approved by the city of St. Charles," Perillo said. "I'm hoping to have approval from the city in the next couple of months."
The building is more than twice the size of the previous restaurant, which will also allow for more seating.
"We're going to have 40 to 50 seats in there," he said. "The other restaurant probably had 15 or 16 seats altogether."
The plan is to make Beef Shack a national franchise, he said.
"By the end of next year, we're going to start franchising pretty much all over the country at that point," Perillo said.