After the Arlington Heights Village Board approved a special use permit request, a new Bibibop Asian Grill can join other new businesses at the recently-improved Southpoint Shopping Center in the northwest suburb.
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Village leaders have been strategic in redevelopment planning for the one-time large, vacant mall at the busy southeast corner of Palatine and Rand roads. MJK Real Estate Holding Company took over the property, and an At Home retail home decor superstore and Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurant — with online-only pick-up at its drive-up window — are also at the location.
Richard Silverman, of MJK Real Estate, asked the Village Board at its Aug. 7 meeting to approve a special use permit request to open a 2,169-square-foot Bibibop Asian Grill at 715 E. Palatine Road. The request was to allow a drive-through window at the restaurant that would be used for only for picking up orders placed online or on the restaurant’s app, according to the permit request documents.
According to the documents, the restaurant will have 619 square feet of indoor seating and a drive-through window for online orders only. A total of 15 employees would work at the restaurant, which would be open 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday.
The Village Board approved the special use permit 8-0, with Trustee Jim Bertucci absent. The village’s Plan Commission previously held a public hearing on the request, and commissioners moved to recommend the Village Board approve the special use permit.
“I’m very excited you’ve been able to bring them here to Arlington Heights,” Trustee Robin LaBedz told the property owners, saying she has visited the restaurant in downtown Chicago. “This will be a great addition to the community and this part of town, and the reemergence of Southpoint Shopping Center.”
Other trustees thanked Silverman for the company’s work in helping to redevelop that part of town.
Bibibop Asian Grill has 65 locations nationally, with local stores in Chicago, Schaumburg, Vernon Hills and Oak Brook. It will be located next to a new AT&T cell phone store, which had been set to open this month.
“It’s great to see Southpoint coming back to life,” said Charles Witherington-Perkins, director of planning and community development.
He explained the special use permit was not originally approved in 2022. The developers had anticipated a larger restaurant for the property, but it was instead subdivided for AT&T and Bibibop Asian Grill to open shop.
Elizabeth Owens-Schiele is a freelancer.