Morton Grove’s Sawmill Station is home to a new restaurant, with another expected to open later this year.
Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurant, 6731 W. Dempster St., opened for special friends and family and VIP events ahead of a March 29 public opening.
The restaurant is the chain’s 14th location in Illinois, according to its website.
Morton Grove was selected for a new location as the closest Cooper’s Hawk restaurants are roughly 15 miles away from the area, said Kyle Houlahan, general manager.
“We had not capitalized as much on the North Shore suburbs,” he said, adding that Morton Grove and its surrounding suburbs is “an area I know is wanting us to come in and be a part of the community.”
For now, reservations for dine-in are required and there is a 50% capacity limit, Houlahan said. Diners are seated at least six feet apart and a sanitation specialist is onsite, he said.
The restaurant also features wine tastings, retail wine sales, carry-out, delivery and curbside pickup.
“This is my third opening with this company and the first one through a pandemic,” Houlahan said. “It has been, I would say, consistently about the same as before. It’s really just enhanced safety measures, really just getting the team and our guests to feel safe.”
The restaurant is employing 100 workers, Houlahan said.
Cooper’s Hawk is the latest business to open in Sawmill Station, but not the last.
Morton Grove Village Administrator Ralph Czerwinski said Chipotle is back on track to open in the commercial plaza as well. The fast-casual restaurant is proposed for space west of Aspen Dental and building plans are under review, Czerwinski said.
“I would anticipate they’ll have their permits by the end of (March),” he said earlier this month.
Ross has also announced that it will be opening a store this summer, possibly in July, Czerwinski said.
There are no updates on the grocery store slated to open along Waukegan Road, he said.
“There’s been no confirmation of who it is or when they will open,” Czerwinski said. “We continue to press the developer, but have not received any concrete answers. The inside is built out and ready to go, but nothing has been announced and there’s no sign on the building.”
On March 18, a marijuana dispensary license was issued to Future Transactions Holdings, LLC for the operation of a MedMen dispensary at 6761 W. Dempster St., according to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. The site is currently a vacant parcel in Sawmill Station south of Cooper’s Hawk.
Construction of apartment buildings on the east side of Sawmill Station is ongoing, and the first phase is expected to be complete for tenants to move in by November or December, Czerwinski said.
Sawmill Station is currently home to Kohl’s, Dollar Tree, Raising Cane’s, Starbucks and Aspen Dental.