Southern Café Seeks $300K Incentive to Open Darien Location
Chuck’s Southern Comforts Café, whose Burbank, IL, flagship was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, wants to purchase and remodel the old Cornerstone Restaurant building.
The owners of Chuck’s Southern Comforts Café are looking to Darien as the site for a second restaurant.
But their purchase of the former Cornerstone Restaurant building at 8025 S. Cass Ave. is dependent on a $300,000 economic incentive from the city of Darien.
Café representative Jim Pine said in an email to the city that without the incentive, Chuck’s wouldn’t be able to complete necessary remodeling, including replacing the parking lot, curbing and driveways.
Failure to secure the funding would either “delay or stop the project,” he wrote, because the contract to purchase the building depends on receiving extra help.
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Owner and chef Chuck Pine, who honed his skills under Rick Bayless at Topolobampo, opened the flagship café in Burbank in 1995. The Food Network show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives featured its blend of Southern and Mexican flavors in an October 2011 episode.
Pine wrote that the Burbank location makes about $6 million a year and employs between 90-95 staff members. He said he expects the Darien location would bring in about $4 million its first year.
At the city’s 2 percent sales tax rate for restaurants, it would take about 3.75 years for Darien to recoup the costs of the incentive. Pine said Chuck’s partners would repay the rest of the incentive out of their pockets if it took the city more than four years to get its money back.
In the proposed agreement, Municipal Services Director Dan Gombac wrote that the city would serve as general contractor on the renovations tied into the incentive package.
The elements of the project and their estimated cost include:
- Concrete work: $47,000
- Pavement: $210,000
- Parking spot striping and blocks: $10,000
- Storm sewer repairs: $25,000
- Underground wiring for lights: $10,000
Total: $300,000
Pine said the restaurant team plans to complete an additional $110,000 in renovations with its own funds. He estimated that the restaurant could be open as soon as October, as long as the economic incentive goes through.
“We are hoping to have a very positive impact on Darien through drawing in much more traffic, as Chuck’s is considered a destination establishment,” Pine wrote. “Patrons don’t come to us just because we’re in the neighborhood, they come from afar and out of their way to visit us.”
The restaurant’s centerpiece is its barbecue, including pulled pork slow-roasted in banana leaves before it’s smoked. Chuck’s also serves dishes with a Mexican flare, such as chicken enchiladas and grilled shrimp quesadillas.
City Council will discuss during a special meeting Monday whether to give the agreement preliminary approval.
Should it get that preliminary stamp, any zoning variances Chuck’s applies for will go before a public hearing July 18.
In This article
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Cornerstone Restaurant & Bar - CLOSED
8025 S Cass Ave, Darien, IL -
City of Darien Municipal Services
1041 S Frontage Rd, Darien, IL
don jiskra
9:30 am on Monday, June 18, 2012
I have been a patron of Chuck's for many years and have often taken friends to dinner in Burbank, we have talked to people from many parts of the city and suburbs, he draws quite a crowd for his varied menu. I love his smoked barbeque meats and his upscale treatment of Mexican and Cajun recipes. Most of all Chuck is a community type guy, he gets involved. Gloria Jiskra
Cheryl
10:41 am on Monday, June 18, 2012
Sounds great! That building needs something that will last, good Mexican and Cajun and a thumbs up from Guy Fieri works for me.
Jorene
12:10 pm on Monday, June 18, 2012
My family and I have been regular patrons of Chucks for years also. Their breakfast is top notch. The sweet potatoe pancakes are the best! And the man himself Chuck, is a wonderful giving person.
Bob B
1:08 pm on Monday, June 18, 2012
This place is such an eyesore now. The city should definitely fix up the outside so an actual tax generating entity would be willing to operate there.
Dennis Bolsega
3:18 pm on Monday, June 18, 2012
How long does the average trendy restaurant stay in business? I say that in four years they will be out of business and Darien will be asked to give more incentives to a new owner. Say no to this.
Joanne Coleman
4:23 pm on Monday, June 18, 2012
Uncle Bub's in Westmont is an example of a trendy restaurant that has been in business for well over ten years. The Patio opened in 1991-92 in Darien and is still around as is Buona Beef. If the restaurant offers a good product, is clean and family friendly, people will come.
mj smith
1:35 pm on Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Chuck's is not, repeat NOT a trendy restaurant. Chuck Pine is a fine inventive chef, active in the SW community, and he comes up with eclectic food paring that never fail to impress. I thought combining Cajun, Mexican, Southern BBQ and American dishes into one restaurant would be an impossible task but Chuck does it easily with innovative combinations. We here in Burbank & Oak Lawn and surrounding areas are middle of the road working class people don’t support “trendy” restaurants but we do love Chucks. I have recommended this restaurant to numerous people and not one ever told me they were unhappy with anything at Chuck’s. Trendy? No…Good food? Absolutely~!
Tiffany Nielsen Mikos
2:49 pm on Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Chucks in NOT a "trendy" restaurant! It wasnt not featured on Diners Drive-Ins and DIves for being trendy, they were on for their amazing food! Go to Burbank and see for yourself. Guarantee you will go back time and time again!!
Mark Wirth, Sr.
4:26 pm on Tuesday, June 19, 2012
You OBVIOUSLY haven't been to Chuck's place in Burbank. The man definately is doing something right to have the amount of business he has. I've been going to his place for years and have rcomended it to all of my family and friends. The food is first rate, the service is very good and the atmosphere is very friendly. Rather than make a judgement on his abilities as a restauranteur, why don't you go to his Burbank location and give his food a try? You might want to go around 3 P.M. in the afternoon if you're in a hurry because you will definately have to wait if you go there for dinner. Not because it's trendy but because the food is so good.
Randall Schorle
1:48 pm on Tuesday, June 19, 2012
As a Darien resident and fan of Chucks I say go ahead if Chucks agrees to clean up the Cass Ave exposure. Its presently an eyesore. I would approve if Darien controls signage, landscaping, and makes the plans public.
Randy
Jack Garb
1:57 pm on Tuesday, June 19, 2012
First of all, Rick Bayless, not Bayliss.
Second of all, how is Chuck's a "trendy" restaurant? That kind of implies some sort of short-lived hype. His place started as a smallish joint on 79th and State Road, and expanded because of its quality. I hate to say it, but as a nearly life-long Southwest Sider, there is a shortage of really GREAT restaurants out here. Chuck's is one of the gems. He succeeds not because of any culinary trends. He succeeds because he makes the food he loves, and he makes it well. There's nothing "trendy" about this food, unless good food is "trendy."
I wish the best of luck to him. I was worried about him overextending himself with the current venture, but he hasn't sacrificed any quality, that I could tell, for the larger space. Chuck Pine is my hero. If he could secure a good deal for a place in Darien and maintain the same quality of food and atmosphere, God bless him.
Lauren Williamson
2:11 pm on Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Thanks for catching my Bayless/Bayliss typo, Jack!
Julie Moreno
5:05 pm on Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Since we first discovered Chuck's in October, we are weekly customers! Best breakfast around! Dinner favorites are any of the BBQ entrees, quesadillas con cuatro quesos another favorite! The burgers are outstanding! My kids love Chuck's homemade Mac n Cheese. I've been raving about Chuck's since our 1st visit. If Darien doesn't want you, start a 2nd location on the other side of Midway! Archer/Cicero has a vacant restaurant...you'd get plenty of airport customers as well!
Julie Moreno
mj smith
6:49 pm on Tuesday, June 19, 2012
as the article pointed out Chucks opened his original place in 1995. Trendy restaurants don't last 17 years
Martha
1:56 pm on Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Chuck's is an AMAZING restaurant!!! I really hope this works out! There is no way it will close down in a few years. Once people eat there, they will be fans forever!