CoCo & Blu owners expanding reach into downtown Mount Prospect
The owners of CoCo & Blu in Arlington Heights are expanding their horizons with a new venture in downtown Mount Prospect.
They received the go-ahead for a new restaurant, CoCo & Maple, in the former fire and police headquarters now operating as the HQ Residences luxury apartment complex at 130 E. Northwest Highway.
The village board last Wednesday also approved $250,000 in tax increment financing assistance and a waiver of up to $6,600 in permit fees for the new 3,300-square-foot restaurant.
Co-owner Michael Brown said the goal is to open in July or August.
Michael Brown, his wife, Denise, and son Nate are investing more than $880,000 in the venture, according to village documents.
CoCo & Blu opened in 2019 and has established itself as a fixture in downtown Arlington Heights.
On weekends, “There’s a line from the register to the door for probably a half hour to 40 minutes, and the people keep coming every week,” Michael Brown said.
The name CoCo stands for coffee and cocktails, while the Blu refers to Michael Brown’s favorite color, blue. CoCo & Maple refers to the new restaurant’s location at Northwest Highway and Maple Street.
Michael Brown, who co-owns the Eiffel Flower shop in Arlington Heights, said CoCo & Maple also will sell plants, a nod to the arboreal origins of Maple Street name.
The Arlington Heights restaurant has a full-service coffee and liquor bar. It offers appetizers and desserts, including quiches, salads and a new dessert every weekend.
The new restaurant will have offerings that tie into the Mount Prospect location. One possibility is a maple pecan latte, Nate Brown said.
CoCo & Maple will occupy the first floor of the building. It will include a bar area with seating for nine, an indoor dining area with 53 seats, indoor lounge spaces with space for 11 and an outdoor patio space.
The patio space on Maple Street will feature a sound wall to reduce train noises, fire tables, and catenary overhead lighting.
Michael Brown is billing CoCo & Maple as a “third space” for the apartment community.
“People live in small spaces and they need another space to go as a place to relax,” he said.
Mayor Paul Hoefert noted CoCo & Maple will represent the 15th “eating opportunity” in the downtown.
“Not that many years ago, we couldn’t get anyone to come to downtown Mount Prospect,” he said.
Trustees raised questions about noise from the patio and the availability of parking.
Mount Prospect Community Development Jason Shallcross said the restaurant will not be open during the evening most nights of the week, while it will be open past 9 p.m. on only two of them.
He added, the restaurant will be more than 500 feet from the nearest residential home.
Shallcross said three parking stalls will be required. Five adjacent spaces have been built. He said other parking is available in the Metra lot across the street and the village’s parking deck.