Liquor Barn, Binny's coming to Vernon Hills

Two familiar liquor retailers are repurposing empty stores in Vernon Hills for new locations.

Interior buildouts of the former Chuck E. Cheese and Hobby Lobby stores for Liquor Barn and Binny's Beverage Depot, respectively, are underway.

Both locations are in strip shopping centers in the dense commercial area centered at Milwaukee Avenue (Route 21) and Townline Road (Route 60). Chuck E. Cheese operated at Hawthorn Hills Square on the south side of Route 60, and Hobby Lobby was on the north side at Hawthorn Village Commons shopping center.

Though nearly simultaneous, the timing of the pending debuts of the liquor stores is coincidental, according to Mike Atkinson, community development director.

Atkinson said there hasn't been a full-line liquor store of this type during his 14 years with the village.

Liquor Barn has stores in Niles and Wheeling. Binny's has 44 locations in Chicago, the suburbs and elsewhere in Illinois. Both offer beer, wine, spirits and ancillary products.

Liquor Barn received a building permit a few weeks ago. Construction is expected to take about 90 days. Because it is a permitted use in that area, no public hearings or other approvals were required.

Binny's on Tuesday received informal approval from the Vernon Hills village board to modify the facade of the former Hobby Lobby building.

The facade will be reconfigured to form an arched-shape parapet over the main entrance with new exterior finishes. Official approval for that element is expected March 2, but a permit for interior work already has been issued.

While the focus has been on a proposed $250 million Hawthorn Mall redevelopment, village officials say nearby retail centers have few vacancies.

"It's where all the other stores are, and they like to be where the others are," Atkinson said.

Hobby Lobby closed in February 2020 and was followed last July by Chuck E. Cheese. With about 47,000 square feet, Hobby Lobby is about triple the size of the Chuck E. Cheese space.

Village Trustee Jim Schultz said he believed a beverage retailer with a greater selection than grocery stores, for example, would do well in town. However, overtures to those businesses had been unsuccessful.

Liquor Barn is relatively new, Schultz added, but wants to build on its success, and committed to Vernon Hills shortly after Chuck E. Cheese closed. With Binny's, nothing clicked until Hobby Lobby became available, he said.

"Once they were able to come to deal on that property, it has been full steam ahead," Schultz said.

He said the Milwaukee/Townline Road area is the center of retail in south central Lake County.

"Everyone wants to be at that intersection, and even if you are only within clear sight lines, you are there," Schultz said.