The Biz Week That Was: A neighborhood bar closing, new restaurants and development among the highlights
‘A neighborhood place’: Stadium Sports Club to close in Rolling Meadows
Stadium Sports Club & Pizza in Rolling Meadows, an old-school tavern known for being as friendly and legendary as a certain Boston sitcom bar, will close at the end of business New Year’s Eve. Stadium Club has served patrons from Rolling Meadows and surrounding communities for nearly 40 years. Anchoring a nondescript strip mall near Route 53 and Algonquin Road, the hole-in-the-wall spot became a favorite hangout because of the beer and the wings and the folks behind the bar who seemed to know everybody’s name.
Yorktown Center to get Dave & Buster’s, new restaurants
A Dave & Buster’s entertainment complex is slated to open at Yorktown Center in the coming year, along with a string of new restaurants in and around the Lombard mall. Naperville-bred Empire Burgers + Brew, the first Chicago-area Ancho & Agave taco restaurant and a Popeyes also are expected to spice up the mall dining scene in 2024. The new additions are part of a broader effort to reinvigorate one of the oldest enclosed shopping malls in the Western suburbs. Yorktown’s owner, Pacific Retail Capital Partners, and Chicago-based Synergy Construction Group aim to put hundreds of apartments and a Main Street-style plaza next to the mall.
Rush Truck Centers proposes Huntley expansion
Rush Truck Centers in Huntley is seeking a larger home. It plans to buy 11.5 acres south of its current property at 11816 Route 47, just north of Kreutzer Road. An additional 2.5 acres between the Kishwaukee River and Kreutzer Road are not part of the proposal, according to Huntley village documents. The truck center is proposing an estimated 55,000-square-foot truck sale and service center. Plans also call for a new right-in/right-out off Route 47, about 500 feet north of the intersection with Kreutzer Road.
Barrington pins high hopes on Golden Triangle development
Barrington’s downtown Golden Triangle area is about to burst with long-awaited redevelopment. A four-story, mixed-use building will spring up on the area bounded by Hough Street, Liberty Street and the junction of the railway tracks. In addition to residential, retail and restaurant development, the project will have a novel element — car condos.
The year in clean energy: Wind, solar and batteries grow despite economic challenges
Led by new solar power, the world added renewable energy at breakneck speed in 2023, a trend that if amplified will help Earth turn away from fossil fuels and prevent severe warming and its effects. Clean energy is often now the least expensive, explaining some of the growth. Nations also adopted policies that support renewables, some citing energy security concerns, according to the International Energy Agency. These factors countered high interest rates and persistent challenges in getting materials and components in many places.