JOLIET – A second wave of new restaurants is coming to town.
A new Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen, as well as a Checkers hamburger restaurant, will be coming to the East Side, along with a second Checkers on the West Side.
Popeye’s will open at 351 E. Cass St., just west of Collins Street, in a building had been a Popeye’s restaurant previously, Mayor Tom Giarrante said.
Checkers will open on Collins Street just north of Cass Street.
The West Side Checkers will be built as an addition to the Mobil gas station outside of the Kmart at Jefferson Street and Larkin Avenue.
Checkers offers hamburgers, hot dogs, fish sandwiches, wings and seasoned and loaded fries. Popeye’s has Cajun-style fried chicken, fish and red beans and rice, among other offerings.
Giarrante said the success of other restaurants in Joliet has generated interest among developers and restaurateurs.
“The secret is that those who come here and do well, it’s opened others’ eyes,” Giarrante said. “Take a ride out by the mall. They’re all doing well. It’s the same thing with local restaurants. Their parking lots are all full.”
Other restaurants
The new restaurants come in the wake of the announcement of a Potbelly Sandwich Shop, Mooyah burger restaurant and Chipotle Mexican Grill coming to a new shopping center being built at Jefferson Street and Caterpillar Drive.
The new Checkers and Popeye’s restaurants are being developed by Aby Mohamed and Rajan Madassery through United Architects Ltd., of Joliet, and C.M. Lavoie & Associates, a Plainfield civil engineering firm.
Jim Haller, the city’s director of community and economic development, has been working with the two developers for more than a year.
The three restaurants are expected to employ 150 full-time workers. Joliet residents will be given preference for jobs, Giarrante said.
Downtown developments
Meanwhile, progress continues on two other restaurant venues, Lockdown Bar & Grill, which plans to open a heavy metal-themed restaurant at Chicago and Cass streets, is expecting to close on its financing in September, according to Giarrante.
The venue, which is patterned after its parent restaurant in Chicago’s Ukrainian Village, could open by early next year, Giarrante said.
Also, a new restaurant may be coming into the property at 205 N. Chicago St. that formerly housed The Department Restaurant and Liquor Lounge. The Department closed in March.
“We have a gentleman that is very close to going into the restaurant,” Giarrante said. “He has four restaurants in Chicago and they’re all pretty high-end.”
Giarrante said downtown development is beginning to take off.
“The closer we get to opening the intermodal transportation center and the Joliet Junior College center, the more it’s going to start popping,” Giarrante said.