Beef Shack given OK to open near former location in St. Charles

Beef Shack has been given the green light to open near its former location on West Main Street in St. Charles.

At Monday’s St. Charles City Council meeting, aldermen unanimously approved special uses for a restaurant and drive-through facility for the former TitleMax building at 2015 W. Main St. in St. Charles, near its former location, which closed in February 2020.

Aldermen agreed with city staff’s recommendation that a “Welcome to St. Charles” sign be tabled until further discussion can be held regarding a cohesive and comprehensive plan for St. Charles welcome signage city-wide.

The restaurant will also feature an outdoor dining area. The drive-through will have two ordering stations.

Beef Shack’s St. Charles restaurant, which opened in 2011, was the first Beef Shack in the franchise chain. The previous restaurant did not have a drive-through.

“We’re very excited about that location,” said Dan Perillo, CEO of Beef Shack and president of Rosati’s Pizza, in talking about the plans recently. “There’s a lot of traffic on Main Street and Randall Road. So we’re very excited to be at that location.”

Perillo is a St. Charles resident. The chain is known for its Cheezy Beef on garlic bread. It also sells burgers, Chicago style Vienna Beef hot dogs, sandwiches, salads, shakes and other items.

“We’re very, very ecstatic about coming back to St. Charles, where it all began,” he said. “It’s going to be bigger and better. That’s the way I look at it.”

Beef Shack also has locations in Elgin, Huntley, Bartlett, Joliet and DeKalb. Plans are to add more locations in the coming months.

Chums Shrimp Shack has announced it is moving from its location at 116 Penny Ave. in East Dundee to the former Beef Shack building at 2115 W. Main St. in St. Charles. Chums opened in 2019.