Vienna Beef Reimagines Former Bucktown Factory

Vienna Beef, the iconic Chicago food purveyor, unveiled plans to redevelop its former factory location at 2501 N. Damen Ave. into Vienna Beef Plaza further cementing its commitment to Chicago. The reimagined space will be the go-to destination for a complete Vienna Beef experience featuring a restaurant, outdoor plaza, retailers and Vienna Beef office space.

The $20 million investment includes a rehab of the property to feature state-of-the-art offices for approximately 50 Vienna Beef employees on the second floor and designated retail space below. The once-beloved Vienna Beef Factory Store and Café will be resurrected at the site featuring the full line up of Vienna Beef products, elevated classic Chicago menu items and dining options. The restaurant will be outfitted with memorabilia that encapsulates the company’s 130-year history as Chicago-born and Chicago-made. The restaurant is slated to open in Spring 2024, and the existing Vienna Beef Factory Store location in Bridgeport will remain open.

“Vienna Beef has long imagined what possibilities exist at our former factory location, where Vienna was in operation since the early 1970s. We couldn’t be more excited to see Vienna Beef Plaza come to life,” said Tom McGlade, senior vice president at Vienna Beef. “Vienna Beef is a Chicago company in its heart and at its core, and it only makes sense that there is a place in the city for enthusiasts to come and experience everything Vienna Beef, and Chicago has to offer through excellent food, fun memorabilia and a thriving retail experience.”

No Hot Water? Be Sure Your Team is Prepared

One of the most common things we hear from commercial customers is: “I have no hot water.”

In response, the first thing our team members will ask for — after the site address and contact, is:

1. The unit’s model and serial number.

2. Description or photos of issue(s).

This key information helps the service provider research your unit, ensuring service technicians arrive to your business with the necessary parts in hand. Without it, a 1 to 2 hour repair call can easily turn into a 4 hour call or even require a return visit due to lack of parts, potentially placing your restaurant or food processing plant at risk for municipal health code violations. By providing as much information as possible upfront, you enable your service provider to arrive as prepared as possible. Thus, it is also recommended to ensure your SOP provides detailed instructions and delegates repair responsibilities across multiple shifts. Finally, consider investing in a preventative maintenance program for your business; having an annual/biannual clean and flush of your water heater is crucial to maintaining energy efficiency and equipment functionality.

Capitalizing on its convenient location at the intersection of popular Chicago neighborhoods such as Bucktown, Wicker Park, Lakeview and Lincoln Park, Vienna Beef Plaza’s outdoor area will be an asset to the community featuring over 80 trees and hundreds of lush plants for a garden feel. Once opened, there will be an opportunity to host indoor and outdoor events. The 150,000-square-foot development will be home to several other retailers, including a prominent big-box store to be announced at a later date, and over 200 parking spaces.

“Our community is excited to see Vienna Beef reinvest in the neighborhood by adaptively reusing the original Vienna headquarters. We are happy to see new jobs and economic development the plan will continue to build on for Chicago,” said Alderman Scott Waguespack.

Vienna Beef employees currently located at the Fulton Market and Bridgeport offices will relocate to Vienna Beef Plaza at the end of this year. Vienna Beef relocated its factory operations in Bucktown to Bridgeport in 2015 and opened its Bridgeport Vienna Beef Factory Store at 3847 S. Morgan St. in 2016. The Bucktown Factory Store and Café closed in 2020. To learn more about Vienna Beef, visit www.ViennaBeef.com.

– You can find Vienna Beef’s ad on page 3.

Bottom Line:

• Know your municipal health codes.

• Ensure you have water heaters’ model and serial numbers.

• Delegate repair responsibilities and approvals.

• Have a preferred service provider list.

• Invest in preventative maintenance.

Golden Corral Launches Own Fast-Casual Concept

Buffet chain Golden Corral has created a fastcasual concept called Homeward Kitchen that will open its first location in North Carolina later this year. The menu will feature many of Golden Corral’s familiar comfort food dishes.

– FSR Magazine

Roofing Pros: Four Generations of Care

Michael Zuccaro, an Italian immigrant born in the year 1890, came to the United States during the early 1900’s. At 25 years old, he partnered up with a friend doing local roofing work. During the Depression in 1929, Michael’s reputation and quality of work allowed him to survive through hard times and make enough money to support himself and his family, a quality of work that Care still exhibits on each and every jobsite. Michael’s son, August Zuccaro, who worked with his father through adolescence and adulthood, eventually took over the business in 1945 under the name Reliable Tinners & Roofers. The company had one truck, two workers and an office/ warehouse in a horse barn on the west side of Chicago. August soon put his son Michael aka “Mickey” to work, as his father did with him. Mickey worked on the roofs as a laborer, and eventually a skilled tradesman doing sheet metal fabrication and hot tar roofing. As his grandfather and father did before him, Mickey built himself a solid reputation in the roofing industry due to his honesty and high quality workmanship. In 1975, Mickey incorporated as CARE Sheet Metal and Roofing, Inc. (DBA Care Roofing, Inc) with 6 employees. Mickey’s oldest son, Mike joined operations in 1995 and has helped grow the business to what it is today. Today, Care has over 40 full time employees, 15 trucks, 3 warehouses and still continues to expand throughout the region. After four generations, Care has thrived through good times and bad, by simply staying true to their aged-old doctrine of being honest and fair with their customers, continuing to display top notch workmanship and a positive reputation in the industry!

– You can find Care Roofing’s ad on page 6.

BOOKSHELF: Mary Berry’s Baking Bible

Author: Mary Berry Publisher: Clarkson Potter ISBN: 978-0593578155

Baking legend Mary Berry, longtime judge of The Great British Baking Show, presents this revised and updated edition of her seminal baking book, featuring 250 recipes, including 20 all-new bakes, updated photography, and Americanized measurements.

Mary Berry’s Baking Bible has been thrilling home bakers with delectable, no-fuss, trustworthy recipes for more than a decade. Now the queen of British baking brings her straightforward advice and expertise to this fully revised edition of classic bakes. Her biggest collection yet also features 20 new recipes plus mouth watering photography.

Readers will also be delighted to discover that many of her treasured recipes have been updated and simplified to suit the needs and tastes of today’s home bakers. And, as always with foolproof recipes from Mary Berry, there will be no soggy bottoms!

With many years of experience and multiple distribution facilities throughout the Midwest, MacCARB has developed a reputation as the most trusted beverage gas, and service fulfillment companies around. Whether you need beverage grade carbon dioxide, nitrogen, helium, blended gases or just plain service, MacCARB is your single one stop shop.

For Personalized Service, Call us Today!

Phone: 877– 427–2499 http://www.maccarb.com

Health-Ade, the makers of delicious, bubbly beverages that support a happy and healthy gut, announce a multi-year partnership with host, producer, and media personality, Ryan Seacrest. The media mogul and long-time Health-Ade Kombucha lover is partnering with the company as a brand advocate to share the benefits of kombucha with America and encourage people to swap their sugary sodas for Health-Ade, a satisfying alternative that packs a probiotic punch.