Openings, Closings, Comings & Goings - January - March 2012

Please post all related news on this thread.

For last quarter's Openings and Closings, please this thread:

Openings, Closings, Comings & Goings - October-December 2011

Thanks,

=R=
for the moderators

Charlie Trotter's will be closing in August.

http://www.suntimes.com/9725535-417/charlie-trotter-to-close-his-world-renowned-chicago-eatery.html

Wow, beat me to it by a minute.

Curious about the mention two Trotter restos in Vegas which closed, but no mention about the shuttered C, in Baja California, Mexico; she also didn't mention the failed second Trotter's-to-Go location downtown, on W. Monroe St at Franklin. Assuming that he is still paying alimony to his first wife, and child support for his high-school-age only son, I would be extremely surprised if - contrary to his protestations - money concerns didn't play at least a part in this decision. Too bad. He was a pioneer in his time.

Just read that Crust on Division has closed its doors, effective today I believe. Sad -- it was a decent option for the neighborhood.

I just learned that Chocolate Potpourri in Glenview has been bought by Affy Tapple in Niles. The Glenview operation -- which makes great truffles, glorious caramels, and multiple other delights -- will be closing on January 6. The product will continue to be produced at the Affy Tapple plant, but there is no word as to whether there will be a retail outlet, as there was at the Glenview production site.

Sorry to lose these folks. Even though they'll still be around in some form, it's not quite as convenient as dashing up Chestnut in Glenview and picking up a dozen truffles. Plus who knows what will happen to the product once a new company owns them.

Learned via an email from the restaurant itself that:

Chef Didier and his wife Jamie are re-imagining their Cyrano's Bistrot & Wine Bar into a new restaurant they're calling Cyrano's Farm Kitchen.

No dates were given as to a closing for the current concept nor an opening for the new concept. I hope it doesn't change TOO much as it was our go-to location for old-school casual French dining.

Cynthia wrote: The product will continue to be produced at the Affy Tapple plant, but there is no word as to whether there will be a retail outlet, as there was at the Glenview production site.
.

I've never been in, but I've driven by and I'm almost positive there is a retail outlet at the Affy Tapple plant in Niles.

Indeed there is, off Gross Point Road, between Touhy and Lehigh.

ziggy wrote:I've never been in, but I've driven by and I'm almost positive there is a retail outlet at the Affy Tapple plant in Niles.

Yes,and at one time Kaufman's Bagel & Delicatessen shared the space with them as a factory outlet for their baked goods.
Affy Tapple
7425 N Croname Rd Niles, IL 60714
(847) 745-6290

Kaufman's Bagel & Delicatessen
4905 W Dempster, Skokie IL, 60077
847.677.6190

Artie wrote:

ziggy wrote:I've never been in, but I've driven by and I'm almost positive there is a retail outlet at the Affy Tapple plant in Niles.

Yes,and at one time Kaufman's Bagel & Delicatessen shared the space with them as a factory outlet for their baked goods.
Affy Tapple
7425 N Croname Rd Niles, IL 60714
(847) 745-6290

Kaufman's Bagel & Delicatessen
4905 W Dempster, Skokie IL, 60077
847.677.6190

Scratch & dent rugelach?

Sadly, Merle's Barbecue in Evanston is no more.
http://merlesbbq.com/

1727 Benson Ave. Evanston, IL 60201
847.475.7766

Tom wrote:Sadly, Merle's Barbecue in Evanston is no more.
http://merlesbbq.com/

1727 Benson Ave. Evanston, IL 60201
847.475.7766

Can't really quibble here. I was only there a couple of times and thought the food was average to below average at best. There are many BBQ places that are much better.

John Danza wrote:

Tom wrote:Sadly, Merle's Barbecue in Evanston is no more.
http://merlesbbq.com/

1727 Benson Ave. Evanston, IL 60201
847.475.7766

Can't really quibble here. I was only there a couple of times and thought the food was average to below average at best. There are many BBQ places that are much better.

On Merle's website, they cite "loss of lease" as the reason for closing as of 1/1/12. Don't you usually know in advance that you're going to lose your lease, so you don't have to close so abruptly?

The only reason I would agree with the "sadly" in Tom's original post is the loss of revenue for Evanston--and another empty storefront.... although if it's a lost lease, maybe there's already something else in the works for the place? As for their food, meh.... I had absolutely the worst brisket of my life there, and nothing else was much better.

John Danza wrote:There are many BBQ places that are much better.

Yeah, but Merle's is a five minute walk from my apartment; it's the only ribs place within a reasonable distance for me other than Hecky's, which is still a pain to get to. I love Honey One, but that requires a several hour investment in time on CTA trains and buses from Evanston, or a marathon bicycle ride in sub-freezing weather. Many of us don't own cars. Bicycling off the lard is what allows us to eat ribs.

One explanation for the closing is the problem Merle's had earlier in the year with an incident of food-borne illness at a school parent-teacher conference. Merle's blamed the school for mishandling the food, the school blamed Merle's and the Evanston Health Department laid blame at both: http://evanstonnow.com/story/education/ ... onferences
Possibly some pending lawsuits were more than the restaurant wanted/could deal with.

More, plus the Tiny Dog Bakery closing: http://evanstonnow.com/story/business/b ... ment-15756

The Huber family-owned Clean Plate Group that owned Merle's has experienced several severe financial problems in the past few years. They lost a lot of money in their brief Schaumburg locations of Pete Miller's and Davis Street Fishmarket. This is also why they sold the two remaining Pete Miller's locations to the folks from Tommy Nevins.

They also have had ventilation problems in that building - smoke and other smells going directly into the health club. I can recall doing yoga in so much smoke it was actually worrisome (as opposed to the times when it was just annoying because I got so hungry during class smelling ribs cooking).

Gaztro Wagon storefront closing

leek wrote:They also have had ventilation problems in that building - smoke and other smells going directly into the health club. I can recall doing yoga in so much smoke it was actually worrisome (as opposed to the times when it was just annoying because I got so hungry during class smelling ribs cooking).

I'd rather smell restaurant odors in a health club, than health club odors in a restaurant.

I just got an email from One Sixty Blue stating that their last dinner service will be this Saturday, January 7 and that they will be undergoing a concept change. I ate there twice in the last year and enjoyed both the meals. Sorry to see this happen.

Diane wrote:I just got an email from One Sixty Blue stating that their last dinner service will be this Saturday, January 7 and that they will be undergoing a concept change. I ate there twice in the last year and enjoyed both the meals. Sorry to see this happen.

That's interesting. So many of the places doing concept changes (NoMI, Seasons, Carlos) are changing from expensive high-end restaurants to moderately-priced more casual places. one sixtyblue had already changed from a mid-priced upscale place to a more moderately-priced casual place when McDonald took over from Noguier a few years ago. I wonder what they've got in mind and how they expect it to do better.

It seems like we're going through a lot of closures and re-concepting now, which I would have expected (and as it occurred in some other cities) a few years ago when the recession first hit, rather than having pent up until now. Maybe the problem is that so many other places have been opening during these past few years, that the competition is fiercer than ever now.

nsxtasy wrote:

Diane wrote:I just got an email from One Sixty Blue stating that their last dinner service will be this Saturday, January 7 and that they will be undergoing a concept change. I ate there twice in the last year and enjoyed both the meals. Sorry to see this happen.

That's interesting. So many of the places doing concept changes (NoMI, Seasons, Carlos) are changing from expensive high-end restaurants to moderately-priced more casual places. one sixtyblue had already changed from a mid-priced upscale place to a more moderately-priced casual place when McDonald took over from Noguier a few years ago. I wonder what they've got in mind and how they expect it to do better.

It seems like we're going through a lot of closures and re-concepting now, which I would have expected (and as it occurred in some other cities) a few years ago when the recession first hit, rather than having pent up until now. Maybe the problem is that so many other places have been opening during these past few years, that the competition is fiercer than ever now.

From Crain's - http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/ ... is-closing

Wow. Really, really disappointed about OneSixtyBlue. It is one of my faves. Chef McDonald can cook.

nsxtasy wrote:The Huber family-owned Clean Plate Group that owned Merle's has experienced several severe financial problems in the past few years. They lost a lot of money in their brief Schaumburg locations of Pete Miller's and Davis Street Fishmarket. This is also why they sold the two remaining Pete Miller's locations to the folks from Tommy Nevins.

When did the sale of the Evanston Pete Miller's to Tommy Nevins occur--and has the place improved since then?

riddlemay wrote:When did the sale of the Evanston Pete Miller's to Tommy Nevins occur--

February 1, 2011. And it included both locations of Pete Miller's, in Evanston and Wheeling.

riddlemay wrote:has the place improved since then?

I've only gone to the Wheeling location since then. In my dozen or so meals at both places in the last few years, including Wheeling this past year, I've found both to be pretty darn good - maybe not on the level of say David Burke's, but decent and consistent. I've been particularly impressed by some of their seafood dishes.

I always wondered why Nevin's got rid of their music venue and now it's just a bigger bar.

Uncle Johnnys on Normal & 32nd is closed. No sign, but all the store shelves are completely empty.

nsxtasy wrote:It seems like we're going through a lot of closures and re-concepting now, which I would have expected (and as it occurred in some other cities) a few years ago when the recession first hit, rather than having pent up until now.

I think a lot of places tried to hang on thinking the economy would improve, but it didn't, so they're either giving up or trying to change to something more sustainable.

I also suspect that part of it is restaurateurs' perennial efforts to appeal to younger diners, who mainly prefer more casual dining. The idea of getting dressed up to sit through multiple courses in a white-tablecloth dining room doesn't excite many Gen Xers or Millennials.

LAZ wrote:

nsxtasy wrote:It seems like we're going through a lot of closures and re-concepting now...

I think a lot of places tried to hang on thinking the economy would improve, but it didn't, so they're either giving up or trying to change to something more sustainable.

I also suspect that part of it is restaurateurs' perennial efforts to appeal to younger diners, who mainly prefer more casual dining. The idea of getting dressed up to sit through multiple courses in a white-tablecloth dining room doesn't excite many Gen Xers or Millennials.

This second thing, I think, is the main factor. I've been putting it forward in the Charlie Trotter's (closing) thread. And to express one facet that you left implicit, it's not only that the younger generation wants something different--it's that the older folks who like the multiple-course white-tablecloth thing are disappearing through, er, let's say attrition. (He said with an uncomfortable sense of his own mortality.)