Forty One North Closing??

We've heard rumors that Forty One North in Northbrook is closing. Apparently the owners of the land are looking to do something else with the property. My wife heard this at work. Just wondering if anybody can confirm?

I am not suprised to be honest. I went there once for lunch and they seem to serve a lot of quasi cafeteria style food.

ChiTownAbs wrote:I am not suprised to be honest. I went there once for lunch and they seem to serve a lot of quasi cafeteria style food.

I'd be a bit surprised because while I agree that the place is seriously underwhelming, the parking lot is packed at lunch and dinner. Regardless of the quality of the fare, the place clearly does a lot of business.

=R=

I had the misfortune of dining once one evening at 41 North after seeing a full parking lot almost every time I drive by the place. The exterior is relativley inviting as it resembles LEYE Wildfire. The interior looks like Denny's and the food is comparable.

These rumors have been going around for a while. I have noticed that traffic has died down a little (I drive by in on my way to and from work)

Food isn't that good, but they do have a decent pulled chicken sandwich

Drove by today (on my way to pickup lunch at Prairie Grass Cafe) and noticed a message on their sign which stated that their lease had been renewed and that Forty-One North is 'here to stay.'

=R=

too bad. that place is a freaking dump. I went along w/ friends once and it was one of the worst "meals" I've ever had. Not only was the food horrible, but they served my vodka & tonic in a big gulp glass that probably had 1 shot of vodka and a quart of tonic. I sent 2 of them back until they actually made one in a cocktail glass.

The Bennigan's that used to be there was, surprisingly, way better.

I'm sad that Forty One North has closed. The good news is they are opening up a new restaurant in Highland Park.
This was on their website:
We would like to thank everyone that came through our doors at Forty One North over the last 8 years. Northbrook is a wonderful community and we wish we could stay right here. Unfortunately, we have lost our lease and another office building will take our beloved site. We bid Forty One North a heartfelt goodbye.

Tuesday, Oct. 9 was our last day of business.

We have been told by many of you as one door closes another will open. We are so thankful for that message.

Now we are opening that new door. Arnie Krause, and brothers Michael and Ted Holleb invite you to our new home. The City Park Grill will open its doors to all in the former Metropolitan Café location in Downtown Highland Park (1791 St. Johns Ave). Our Opening date is set for early November. We will run an announcement in the Pioneer Press with our new phone number.

Hi,

I heard about this a month ago from my father. He was at a shop nearby when one of their employees came in seeking a job.

Forty One North owners were former managers of the Claim Company. Some of the menu items like their hamburger loaded down with toppings had a Claim Company pedigree. It would be great if this is served at the new location which is very close to my home.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:Forty One North owners were former managers of the Claim Company.
Regards,

I thought 41 North was owned by the Myron & Phils "Kids." Was I just imagining this or did they sell 41 North at some point?

I went to lunch with a friend once and my friend did not like her sandwich.
I liked the BBQ wrap and the sweet potato fries there.

iblock,
The Myron & Phil's connection to that space goes back to the 90's when Friedman's Steakhouse had a short run in the building.

From what I've heard, a Charles Schwab location will take up a good chunk of the new building and the remainder is still open...

Can't say I'll miss it. My office used to be right across the street but we stopped going a few years back, after some egregious service issues popped up on a few occasions and the food seemed to drop off from its initial quality.

One also has to wonder how they'll do in the new, downtown Highland Park space. It sounds like some of the changes on the horizon won't necessarily draw existing customers (different/more upscale menu, much smaller space, slightly harder parking situation). OTOH, maybe there are new customers attract.

By coincidence, my office has moved and is now about a block away from the new space, so I do hope that it's a good spot. I'll certainly give it a fair shot. As many restaurants as there are in Highland Park, the quality choices are still somewhat limited -- especially when you are forced to choose between them on a daily basis.

=R=

I posted about this a day or two ago in the openings/closings. I had a number of very poor service-related experiences with 41 North but I have since met the chef and even though I didn't love it, my kid liked the magician on sundays and I found most of their food acceptable. I think the move to HP will not result in a great migration of the lunch people, who mostly work locally, nor of the dinner crowd which anecdotally at least is primarily senior citizens who want a convenient parking lot. No offense meant to the seniors, just my experience.

I did like their easter brunch.

TonySpilotro wrote:iblock,
The Myron & Phil's connection to that space goes back to the 90's when Friedman's Steakhouse had a short run in the building.

And before Friedmans (or maybe just after it) there was a short run of it actually being a Myron & Phil's outpost.

HI,

You may be right on the location. I seem to always think the Myron and Phils was at Clavey and Skokie Valley Road across from Fuddruckers. It's now been converted into a car dealership.

For sure there was some restaurant at this car dealership, though I never went. Immediately behind them was the freight line tracks, which have been recently dismantled. Once the freight train came to a dead halt as the crew jumped off to order steaks. When they returned to the train, there was a Highland Park Police officer writng them a ticket for obstructing traffic. This incident made it to the front page of the local newspaper.

Wasn't Henrici's at 41 North's location long ago?

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:Wasn't Henrici's at 41 North's location long ago?

Yes. That was just before the Myron & Phil's/Friedman's era.

Wow....Henrici's takes me back....Here is my memory

Henricis was at the corner of 41 and Lake Cook rd where the rehab center now stands. After Henricis it was a Mexican restaurant from Phoenix called Garcias that never made it. I think that stretch of road is still called Henrici's Dr., but anyway...

There was an actual Myron & Phils in HP on 41, but not where 41 North now stands or stood. M & P was next to a nursing home that was raised to make room for the shopping center that I believe is now Crossroads or one of the other strip malls.

Before 41 North was 41 North it was a Bennigans. After it became 41 North I remember reading on the menu or hearing in the restaurant that the Freidman's (who own M & P) owned 41 North. When it first opened 41 North used to be OK. The last time I ate there it was dirty and horrible. I hope they dont foul up The Cafe Metropolitan space on St. Johns. That is almost walking distance for me and while i dont go to Metropolitan very often, there could be a lot worse.

If I'm not mistaken, that little strip of road that feeds into the parking lot (east, off Skokie Boulevard) is still called Henrici Drive.

=R=

iblock9 wrote:Henricis was at the corner of 41 and Lake Cook rd where the rehab center now stands. After Henricis it was a Mexican restaurant from Phoenix called Garcias that never made it. I think that stretch of road is still called Henrici's Dr., but anyway...

I think you intend to state Dundee and Skokie Valley Road. Before it was a rehab center it was once an Olive Garden.

There was an actual Myron & Phils in HP on 41, but not where 41 North now stands or stood. M & P was next to a nursing home that was raised to make room for the shopping center that I believe is now Crossroads or one of the other strip malls.

Are we talking the nursing home behind Edens 1 and 2? If yes, then it is still there. I think you are thinking of the Holiday Inn at Lake Cook and Skokie VAlley Road on the south east corner.

Before 41 North was 41 North it was a Bennigans.

I remember that.

After it became 41 North I remember reading on the menu or hearing in the restaurant that the Freidman's (who own M & P) owned 41 North. When it first opened 41 North used to be OK.

I once was an election judge up in Lake Forest. The precinct next to me was a guy whose brother owned a restaurant in the Lake Forest area called the 'Copper Kettle.' By then it had already closed, but he waxed poetic how their former employees opened 41 North stealing their menu and recipes.

I also heard the 41 North owners were former managers of the Claim Company (CC) who borrowed menu items once associated with CC. I am pretty certain of the CC pedigree because I saw menu items I indeed recognized. I never was once at the Copper Kettle to get any sense of their menu. Do you know anything about this?

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:
I think you intend to state Dundee and Skokie Valley Road. Before it was a rehab center it was once an Olive Garden.

Cathy2 wrote:
You are correct

Cathy2 wrote:I think you are thinking of the Holiday Inn at Lake Cook and Skokie VAlley Road on the south east corner.

Cathy2 wrote:
Yep, you are correct again

Cathy2 wrote:I also heard the 41 North owners were former managers of the Claim Company (CC) who borrowed menu items once associated with CC. I am pretty certain of the CC pedigree because I saw menu items I indeed recognized. I never was once at the Copper Kettle to get any sense of their menu. Do you know anything about this?

only thing I remember ever ordering at the CC was the Motherlode Burger and the salad bar which was one of the first of its kind. other than that I know nothing of the copper kettle. Was the Motherlode on the menu at 41 North, that would shed some light on this debate.

BTW have no idea why the format of this post came out this way

That Holiday Inn -- which housed Myron and Phil's -- was also known as Villa Moderne for some amount of time . . . pretty sure that was after the Holiday Inn days.

I don't think Henrici's was ever at the corner of Dundee and Skokie Boulevard. I'm pretty sure, based on the location of Henrici Drive, that it was essentially a bit further north; on the space that 41 North occupied.

And, if I'm not mistaken, on the west side of Skokie Boulevard, at that same intersection, was the former (original?) home of Anton's Fruit Ranch.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:That Holiday Inn -- which housed Myron and Phil's -- was also known as Villa Moderne for some amount of time . . . pretty sure that was after the Holiday Inn days.

I don't think Henrici's was ever at the corner of Dundee and Skokie Boulevard. I'm pretty sure, based on the location of Henrici Drive, that it was essentially a bit further north; on the space that 41 North occupied.

And, if I'm not mistaken, on the west side of Skokie Boulevard, at that same intersection, was the former (original?) home of Anton's Fruit Ranch.

=R=

Hmmm....I am pretty sure Henrici's became Garcias which became the Olive Garden which was converted into a Rehab center...I also think you are correct that it wasnt exactly on the corner of Dundee and Skokie Blvd...I do remember that Henrici's served hot loaves of bread with your meal and that I thought it was pretty swank when I was 6 years old. I also remember my dad mentioning the original was a Berghoff type restaurant in the loop. Dont remember that. I also dont remember the original Antons. When did they move?

HI,

I think the original location of Anton's Fruit Market was on Green Bay Road where Mike's Fruit and Vegetable is now located by the hospital.

I have seen the Henrici Drive sign and always assumed 41 North was once that location.

Can you recall the restaurant that was across from Fuddruckers and is now a car dealership? I just cannot recall. Was it once a Howard Johnson's?

Now that you mention Myron and Phil's was at Holiday Inn/Villa Modern, that makes sense.

The Pickle Barrel was later an Edwardo's and now the location of a 5th/3rd Bank.

Regards,

iblock9 wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote:That Holiday Inn -- which housed Myron and Phil's -- was also known as Villa Moderne for some amount of time . . . pretty sure that was after the Holiday Inn days.

I don't think Henrici's was ever at the corner of Dundee and Skokie Boulevard. I'm pretty sure, based on the location of Henrici Drive, that it was essentially a bit further north; on the space that 41 North occupied.

And, if I'm not mistaken, on the west side of Skokie Boulevard, at that same intersection, was the former (original?) home of Anton's Fruit Ranch.

=R=

Hmmm....I am pretty sure Henrici's became Garcias which became the Olive Garden which was converted into a Rehab center...I also think you are correct that it wasnt exactly on the corner of Dundee and Skokie Blvd...I do remember that Henrici's served hot loaves of bread with your meal and that I thought it was pretty swank when I was 6 years old. I also remember my dad mentioning the original was a Berghoff type restaurant in the loop. Dont remember that. I also dont remember the original Antons. When did they move?

You could very well be right about Henrici's/Garcia's. My memory doesn't line up with that but it's hardly a steel trap In either case, what I always wondered about was why that location, where the re-hab center now sits, wasn't a good one for a restaurant. Maybe it was because traffic coming from the west had to make a left turn (and then a right turn) to enter the parking lot.

As for Anton's, it was near the spur viaduct, but I can't remember if it was north or south of it. Next time I'm at Anton's, I'll try to remember to ask someone.

=R=

There was a restaurant called Goodman's north of Clavey on 41/Skokie Valley (north of Fuddrucker's). I don't recall much about the menu, though I think it was pretty typical American menu. My one memory is they had a treasure chest full of goodies for kids to pick a prize out of.

Other long gone restaurants from the Clavey to Dundee stretch of 41 include Victoria Station (housed in railroad cars), Fine's Red Hots, a New York Bagel and Bialy (sniff, sniff), various snack shops in the Strike N Spare bowling alley (one was Mr. Something's and I believe there was a Cravings there, too), Bacino's Pizza, and, of course, an Arby's (there used to be a Fotomat, next door).

And nearby, at the corner of Lake Cook and Waukegan, there was the venerable Phil Johnson's.

Thanks, AlexG, for stirring up some nice memories. I'd completely forgotten about Victoria's Station. And your mention of it reminds me of a place called The Great Rip Off, which I loved as a kid, because of the video and pinball games they had. I think that may have been in the Pickle Barrel/Bacino's/Edwardo's-Jasmine/5th 3rd Bank location.

I do miss that outpost of NYB&B a lot, too. In addition to their great B&B, they had great sandwiches at lunch time. Strike and Spare housed Mr. Adams Snack Shop for a while before Cravings took over the space. Cravings eventually moved to Buffalo Grove and has since morphed into a Fluky's. As a kid, I loved that Arby's but I can't say I long for it now

And Phil Johnson's . . . nice call on that one too!

As for Goodman's Finer Foods (another good call, btw), I remember going there as kid with another family whose kids were much rowdier than my sister and I. When the waitress came to our table, the oldest of them ordered "fried doody and a glass of pee." His mother yanked him out of the restaurant quite fast . . . no stop at the treasure chest on that night, I'm sure.

=R=

Hi,

I remember going to Victoria Station, though I don't recall what I ever ate there.

I remember liking Arby's long ago, too. I have a feeling they twiddled with the roast beef from something real to something pulverized, formed. 'roasted' and sliced. It just seemed like real roast beef back then, though maybe not the highest quality, to something fake today.

What stands out in my mind about Phil Johnson was the stark white sweet and sour cabbage salad. I used to go there monthly for a business computer group meeting always looking forward to that cabbage slaw. Nothing else sticks in my mind beyond that salad.

Regards,

My faulty memory remembers Henrici's being where 41 North is now, although I won't stake my life on it. I do remember going there several times around 30 years ago--- My friends and I made a big deal out of it because we thought it was really "fancy-schmancy"

I pose this question to the more knowledgeable North Shore members---Where exactly was the old Edens Theater located in relation to these other landmarks?

Thanks---

cito wrote:I pose this question to the more knowledgeable North Shore members---Where exactly was the old Edens Theater located in relation to these other landmarks?

Thanks---

IIRC, the Edens Theaters were on Skokie just past the expressway overpass. Next to them was the Strike n' Spare bowling lanes and the Peacock's Palace video arcade, which I think was burned down in an insurance scam.

Number 1 was such a cool building. My earliest memory of it is seeing Star Wars where when I was like 8 in 1977. Look how many seats !

http://cinematreasures.org/theater/4528/