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Middle Eastern Fast Casual Eatery Coming to Empty Shop By Reckless Records

By Alisa Hauser | March 2, 2015 1:11pm | Updated on March 2, 2015 2:05pm
 Empty storefront at 1534 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Empty storefront at 1534 N. Milwaukee Ave.
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DNAinfo/Alisa Hauser

WICKER PARK — A prime stretch of Wicker Park's Milwaukee Avenue — just south of the neighborhood's main hub and next to Reckless Records — will be welcoming a new 60-seat fast casual Middle Eastern restaurant.

A $150,000 building permit to convert a 2,200 square-foot storefront at 1534 N. Milwaukee Ave. from a retail spot to a restaurant was issued on Thursday.

"It has always been a dream of mine...   I have some planners helping out with this, it is not solely my thing. We are in the beginning stages and putting together the right team with more details to come," said owner Rashid "Reza" Rashid.

The storefront has been vacant for almost two years, since Kids Rule, a toy store that was also owned by Rashid, closed in spring 2013.

The new restaurant, which does not yet have a name, will be designed by architect Steven Smutny of Dearborn Architects. 

Smutny said on Monday that he also designed Columbus' Curry, a new Indian eatery at 1359 N. Milwaukee Ave. that has not yet opened.

"The look and concept is fast casual, a bit like the style of a Chipotle," Smutny said of the design plans.

Rashid said there is no timeline yet but the wish would be to open as soon as possible.

Next to Reckless Records, Rashid's uncle has owned the 3-story building at 1534 N. Milwaukee Ave. since 1987, when he ran a linens and rug store with Rashid's father, Amin Rashid, whom, along with his wife, Ali, owns Jerusalem General Merchandise at 1559 W. Chicago Ave.

Born in a small Palestine town in the West Bank, Amin Rashid began his career selling linens door-to-door in Puerto Rico and speaks fluent Spanish.  At one time the Rashid family owned three linens shops in Wicker Park, which helped to put his eight daughters through college.

Reza Rashid, a 32-year-old father of four young children, was just 5 when his family moved to Wicker Park, where they still live.

Prior to Kids Rule, the 1532 N. Milwaukee Ave., the Rashid family rented the storefront to Chang's Martial Arts, which relocated to 1856 W. Chicago Ave.

 

 

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