After at least five potential deals to sell the former Kow Kow restaurant property at Cicero and Pratt avenues have fallen through, the family that owns the property says they are talking with a car dealership about the property.
Wendy Ling, whose family retired and closed Kow Kow in May 2015, recently asked Lincolnwood officials to weigh in on whether it would consider allowing Grossinger Auto Group, which already operates two other auto sales lots in the village, on Lincoln Avenue and McCormick Boulevard.
Since the Kow Kow Restaurant closed following almost 30 years of business at the southeast corner of the busy intersection, the family have been unable to find a buyer wanting to open a new restaurant at the lot, the family has said.
“There’s still hope it could be reused as a restaurant,” Ling said. “But I’m hesitant to talk about anything until it’s final because we’re on deal number five, six or seven by now and nothing has worked out.”
If the site is sold to the dealership, the shuttered restaurant would be razed, according to Ling who during the Aug. 16 Committee of the Whole meeting, told village trustees she was in discussions to sell the property to the auto group.
“We’d prefer if a restaurant would come in because it would be great for the neighborhood, but the desirability and the reality of having a restaurant there is diminishing because of all the development going into Touhy,” Ling said. “I’ve gone to every restaurant operator I know of and said, ‘I have a lot for you,’ and they all say they’re not interested.”
At least two residential developers have shown interest in the site in the past, according to Ling’s attorney Craig Krandel, who said five potential deals have fallen through since the site was put on the market.
“We’re looking forward to getting it out of Wendy’s family’s name,” Krandel said. “Having it used profitably will be good for everyone.”
Real estate developer Gary Levitas, of Northfield Group, presented plans in 2015 for a 24-unit condo building that would have been built on the Kow Kow restaurant site. But the proposal never gained momentum with village officials, who have focused on redeveloping vacant properties for commercial uses that will bring in tax revenue.
Auto dealerships are one of the largest generators of sales and property tax in the village, according to trustee Jesal Patel, who said multiple restaurants have shown interest in the village’s higher-traffic arterial roadways, particularly along Touhy Avenue.
“There’s a lot of interest in Touhy, and there aren’t enough sites to satisfy the demand,” he said.
Opening a new dealership to add to the three that already exist in Lincolnwood didn’t sit well with trustee Jennifer Spino.
“I respect the tax dollars it brings in, but I think the residents of Lincolnwood probably could benefit more from some other type of use,” Spino said.
Because Cicero Avenue doesn’t get as much motorist exposure as Touhy does, a new restaurant that doesn’t already have a solid customer base would have trouble surviving, Ling said.
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Her family operated Kow from a building on Devon Avenue before moving to Cicero Avenue in 1987.
“Although a restaurant use has worked for the site in the past, it may not be the best spot for the future,” Ling said.
Trustees said they wanted more time to consider the effect a dealership would have on the neighborhood, which is bordered by single-family homes to the east and a townhome development to the south.
“A dealership could take away from the residential nature of that area,” trustee Larry Elster said. “I hear from a lot of people that it would be nice to have a restaurant over there, but no one’s come forward.”
Before an auto lot would be able to open, the Lincolnwood Village Board would have to issue a special use permit for the lot to be redeveloped as a dealership. Neighbors would also have a chance to weigh in during a public hearing.
Natalie Hayes is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.