McAlister's, Freddy's to fill former Five Below site in Crystal Lake

McAlister’s Deli and Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers are set to occupy the currently empty space at 5500 Route 14 in Crystal Lake.

Both restaurants are planned to be in the building by 2020.

Heather Maieritsch, Crystal Lake’s economic development manager, said they are tentatively planning on McAlister’s and Freddy’s opening in the spring.

The facility at 5500 Route 14, which was formerly a Five Below, will be turned into a three-unit site for the two eateries and a retail space.

Freddy’s will be on one end cap of the development, and McAlister’s will be on the other.

The city does not yet know what the middle retail space will be, but City Planner Elizabeth Maxwell said Crystal Lake has been marketing it.

It has “generated interest,” Maieritsch said, but nothing has been finalized.

“We’re happy we were able to attract two fast-casual restaurants to the market,” she said.

Maieritsch said this will be the first Freddy’s in McHenry County. The chain has 10 other locations in Illinois, including in Lake Zurich and Glendale Heights. Freddy’s sells burgers, hot dogs, chicken sandwiches and custard, among other things.

The next closest McAlister’s is in Algonquin. According to its website, the franchise opened its first restaurant in 1989. It now has about 400 restaurants in 28 states and is known for its sandwiches, salads and sweet tea.

Maxwell said McAlister’s had been looking for a space in Crystal Lake for “quite awhile now.”

“They wanted to be here,” she said.

Then it worked out where Five Below moved, and the property was open, Maxwell said.

Freddy’s will have a drive-thru, and Maxwell said there shouldn’t be any problems with traffic around the location because the owners have designed it in line with the city ordinance.

The drive-thru will be behind the building, and some site improvements will need to be completed in the area to prepare for it, Maxwell said.

Construction associated with the restaurants is not yet scheduled, but the landlord could apply for permits and do interior work this winter, Maxwell said.

The space is about 2.7 acres and 24,611 square feet, according to village documents.

The Five Below relocated to
5460 Route 14, and it had a grand opening at its new location Oct. 18. Before that, the building housed a Dressbarn, which announced in May it would close all of its locations.

Maxwell said the Crystal Lake City Council will consider the landlord’s request for a planned unit development at the site at its next meeting Tuesday.