So don't get your hopes up yet, but the popular near north (aka Lincoln Park and Lakeview) diner "Clarke's" was mentioned within an article on chicagobusiness.com saying they are looking at options to expand and the South Loop is a neighorhood they're considering. The main focus of the article was about the diner leasing space in River North. However:Mr. Moon (who is helping with the leasing) says he is actively looking for additional spots for Clarke’s in the Loop, South Loop and western suburbs.Although it's not a definite, it would be nice to have another diner option in the Sloop. We would love to see them within the old Sam's store at the Northeast corner of Wabash and Roosevelt.
For those of you who aren't familiar with the restaurant their website is unfortunately under construction (link here), but here is a menupages write-up on the restaurant on Belmont.
This sounds almost too good to be true!
ReplyDeleteA 24 hour place like this would do a killing in the old Gourmond/Doggie Bath House stretch of S. Dearborn!
ReplyDeletePlenty of bar partons and Columbia students to keep it afloat.
I second putting this where the Doggie/Bath House was!
ReplyDeleteAnywhere along Motor Row or Cermack would be great! Best would be anywhere on Motor Row, which is presently a virtual commercial ghost town. Plus, I'm sure there would be massive security concerns about placing a 24-hour diner on Cermack.
ReplyDeleteSoul Queen used to be open 24/7 at Michigan and "Cermack" with no problems that I was aware of. What the Cappleman!
ReplyDeleterumor has it that the reason businesses have been closingin the Gourmand-->mediterra/doggie bath house space is due to recent exorbitant increases in rent.
ReplyDeleteIt will be interesting to watch how long this prime real estate stays unfilled. I am guessing if the rumors are true it could be a while.
-- But it sure would be a great spot for a diner.
I am a little surprised about Gourmand closing because it seemed decent, but that dog bath house seemed very overpriced to me. My understanding was you still had to wash your dog yourself, you just spared yourself the hassle of cleaning up your bathroom after.
ReplyDeleteI vote for the former Orange space. Such a shame to see that sitting there empty for so long.
ReplyDeleteWith every month that goes by where those (GNC, Gourmand/Cafe Mediterra, Doggie Bath House) spaces are still vacant, you have to wonder what that property owner is thinking?
ReplyDeleteRaising the lease/rent and driving everyone out seems like a real stupid move when you consider how difficult it is for incoming small business to get banks to loan them money in the current economic climate.
The old ORANGE space does make more sense in relation to a 24 hour joint.
ReplyDeleteFGFM: If no problems, then why is "Soul Queen" no longer in business?
ReplyDeleteFGFM: If no problems, then why is "Soul Queen" no longer in business?
ReplyDeleteWho knows? Restaurants open and close all the time, but you can still go to the Stony Island location. What the Cappleman!
www.soulqueen.com
If restaurants with good food and service close down, it's usually for three reasons: Location. Location. Location.
ReplyDeleteIf restaurants with good food and service close down, it's usually for three reasons: Location. Location. Location.
ReplyDeleteFeel free to speculate, but the chicken dude seems to do OK over there. Like I was saying, restaurants close all the time for any number of reasons.
"The Chicken Dude" is NOT a 24-hour spot. The restaurant mentioned in this thread - and the comment directed towards it - pertains to a 24-hour establishment; specifiaclly, how there would likely be safety concerns over a 24-hour establishment like Clarke's in the Cermak corridor.
ReplyDelete"The Chicken Dude" is NOT a 24-hour spot. The restaurant mentioned in this thread - and the comment directed towards it - pertains to a 24-hour establishment; specifiaclly, [sic] how there would likely be safety concerns over a 24-hour establishment like Clarke's in the Cermak corridor.
ReplyDeleteI doubt there will be any big problems wherever they are located. Try not to be such a spazz in the future.
I love that "restaurants with good food and service close down/location" post.
ReplyDeleteIdiot.
I love how FGFM turns into a teenage girl when challenged. He has thrown out the "spazz" insult on both the Uptown blog and Sun-times blog recently as well. I'm sure there are several other blogs that he also trolls. Really, is there any bigger troll on this blog than FGFM?
ReplyDeleteI love how FGFM turns into a teenage girl when challenged. He has thrown out the "spazz" insult on both the Uptown blog and Sun-times blog recently as well. I'm sure there are several other blogs that he also trolls. Really, is there any bigger troll on this blog than FGFM?
ReplyDeleteI regret to inform you that no one takes you seriousl. You also happen to be only person I've called a spazz in years. What the Cappleman!
I love that "restaurants with good food and service close down/location" post.
ReplyDeleteDon Roth's in Wheeling and Tavern on the Green closed after New Year's. The Pump Room also recently closed. None of these events had anything to do with the location of the restaurant or bad food/service as far as I can tell. What the Cappleman!
FGFM has his/her racism/sexism/stereotyping/discrimination patrol badge out again. Nothing more annoying on this blog than the "What the Cappleman" comments.
ReplyDeleteWhat does "What the Cappleman" mean? I must be missing something...
ReplyDeletehttp://uptownbarbershop.blogspot.com/2010/01/what-cappleman.html
ReplyDeleteSeems to be a theme...
FGFM has his/her racism/sexism/stereotyping/discrimination patrol badge out again.
ReplyDeleteI'm here to help.
Nothing more annoying on this blog than the "What the Cappleman" comments.
Nice to know that the racist anon doesn't bother you that much.
Seems to be a theme...
ReplyDeleteDon't forget to follow me on Twitter!
What does "What the Cappleman" mean? I must be missing something...
ReplyDeleteYou should be used to it by now.
Just my two cents, but restaurants typically fail not because of location, but because profit margins in the industry are generally very thin.
ReplyDeleteAnd in defense of FGFM, who seems to be getting ganged up on by at least one person, I would have abandoned this blog to the racist anon(s) long ago if commenters like FGFM were not taking them on. Kudos, Anon, on breaking your previous record level of irony with the "troll" comments.
No mentions of race on the page, quit projecting on everyone.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMark, if you're new to this blog I'll forgive you for being unaware of a certain anonymous poster's quest to turn every topic into an argument about race. I'm not talking about this page in particular, though I suspect he is among those arguing with FGFM.
ReplyDeleteIf you are not new, but are in fact that same poster, I commend you for at least stepping up your rhetoric.
Race ONLY came into play on this thread when FGFM threw out his infamous racist phrase "what the Cappleman" (referring to a white gentleman in Uptown who ran for Alderman against a black female) and "Mark" followed-up by calling FGFM a racist.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely no anonymous poster injected race into this thread.
FGFM is quick to the draw to label anyone a racist who points out obvious themes in our city.
ReplyDeleteTim, I'm curious why you would come to the defense of a poster who turns every thread into a hostile discussion? I have seen no evidence of any anonymous poster explicitly being racist.
Race ONLY came into play on this thread when FGFM threw out his infamous racist phrase "what the Cappleman" (referring to a white gentleman in Uptown who ran for Alderman against a black female) and "Mark" followed-up by calling FGFM a racist.
ReplyDeleteYou know as much about Uptown politics as you do about the restaurant business.
FGFM is quick to the draw to label anyone a racist who points out obvious themes in our city.
ReplyDeleteAnd I welcome your hatred.
I have seen no evidence of any anonymous poster explicitly being racist.
Explicit is the key word here. Not many anti-black racists are stupid enough to drop N-bombs all over the place, but I think that the average person can easily read between the lines on these threads.
Nonsense. Please refer to:
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_projection
FGFM: if you are going to use an ugly term like "racist" to label people, you need more than a 'read between the lines' defense/justification for doing so.
ReplyDeleteAgain, just because concerned citizens raise legit concerns over crime and quality of life (for our children for pete's sake!), it doesn't mean anyone is racist!
If you go back through all the threads whereat race became an issue, it was YOU that started the downward trend. People like you are the reason racism will always exist. No matter the strides made towards a race-free society, people with nothing but racism to blame for certain problems will cling to it like crazy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_projection
ReplyDeleteTell it to your buddy James Cappleman the social worker.
Is it Ok to be bored by all this?
ReplyDeleteBecause I am.
if you are going to use an ugly term like "racist" to label people, you need more than a 'read between the lines' defense/justification for doing so.
ReplyDeletePeople can draw their own conclusions.
Again, just because concerned citizens raise legit concerns over crime and quality of life (for our children for pete's sake!), it doesn't mean anyone is racist!
You are like a broken record with the racial crap.
If you go back through all the threads whereat race became an issue, it was YOU that started the downward trend. People like you are the reason racism will always exist. No matter the strides made towards a race-free society, people with nothing but racism to blame for certain problems will cling to it like crazy.
You are not fooling anyone with this routine.
Is it Ok to be bored by all this?
ReplyDeleteFeel free, but I'm not going to let the racist anon and his new pal go unchallenged as long as I am allowed to post here.
Mark, this anon has posted some really ugly racist non sequiturs on this blog, at least half of which were not triggered by FGFM (some were even first posts). It gets really tiring to see these posts mar what is otherwise a very pleasant blog.
ReplyDeleteFGFM may be equally as guilty of fanning those flames (perhaps especially in this thread), but when it comes to someone being continuously racist in an off-topic manner, I am going to defend those who take on that person every time.
I tire of having to look up examples every time this comes up, but I will be sure to point it out next time (and I'm sure I won't have to wait long).
FGFM @ 1:43pm on 2/10: "I regret to inform you that no one takes you seriousl."
ReplyDeleteWhat does 'seriosl' mean?