First restaurants and businesses at Water’s Edge in Crystal Lake revealed

The first restaurants and businesses to occupy the retail section of the Water’s Edge development in Crystal Lake have been unveiled.

Two sit-down restaurants – First Watch and BBQ King Smokehouse – will fill the space, according to a city of Crystal Lake news release.

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First Watch is a national brunch chain that offers seasonal menus that change up to five times a year. McHenry County’s first location of the café debuted earlier this year in Algonquin along Randall Road. The Florida-based business has other nearby locations in including Geneva, Schaumburg, Naperville, Kildeer and Bloomingdale.

Local favorite BBQ King Smokehouse brings bold, smoky flavors and a curated selection of craft beers. The restaurant started out in Woodstock and now calls Huntley home. It has won numerous awards in a variety of barbecue competitions, including Ribfest Chicago’s first place in the “Best Ribs Juried by our Celebrity Judges” category, and most recently took home first place at the Elkhorn Ribfest last weekend.

Family-friendly dessert spot Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt and national eyewear boutique America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses also will set up near the new restaurants, according to the release.

“This is an exciting milestone for the Water’s Edge development and for the Crystal Lake community as a whole,” Mayor Haig Haleblian said in the release. “These new businesses reflect the vibrant, family-friendly and forward-looking spirit of our city, and we look forward to welcoming residents and visitors alike to enjoy everything they have to offer.”

Openings are expected to start next year. As construction continues, more businesses are planned to be added to the lineup.

“Water’s Edge is positioned to become a cornerstone of Crystal Lake’s continued commercial growth, offering a mix of dining, retail and service-based tenants with convenient access and high visibility,” Crystal Lake Economic Development Manager Heather Maieritsch said in the release.

Water’s Edge is a 30-acre project, located at the former Crystal Court shopping center on Route 14 adjacent to Three Oaks Recreation Area. The development includes retail buildings, a public park, an overlook of the north Three Oaks Recreation Area lake, apartments and townhomes. Some of the housing is already occupied.

Shoppers and diners at Water’s Edge there will pay extra in taxes, though. The city has agreed to an additional 1% sales tax for the development – bringing the total paid to 9.5%, the highest in McHenry County – as an incentive for the builders.