LAKEVIEW — After serving up char-broiled burgers and malts for 34 years, Muskie's will close its doors on Sept. 27.
But fans of the Lakeview burger and hot dog shop needn't worry, owner Don Johnson said. He plans to reopen Muskie's elsewhere in Lakeview sometime next year.
According to Johnson, the lease for his restaurant at 2878 N. Lincoln Ave. expires this month. The building's owner, who couldn't immediately be reached for comment, "wanted to go a different route," Johnson said.
Johnson, 51, said the process was amicable and he wants to reopen Muskie's next year, once winter passes.
"I'll sit this one out," he joked.
"We're looking for a new location in the neighborhood," he said. "I've lived [in Lakeview] almost my whole life. I've got a good team here, and we've got a great following."
Johnson, who bought Muskie's from its original owner in 1992, said his employees have already found other jobs. He hopes to reunite his team, some of whom he's worked with for 18 years, when the restaurant reopens next year.
"We're not throwing in the towel," he said. "It's just a little bump in the road. We'll get through. We'll open again. We put out a really good product, and you've got to stay positive."
Muskie's first opened in 1980. The cash-only burger joint features char-broiled burger, Chicago dogs, milkshakes and malts.
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