WEST TOWN — A storefront that's been vacant since a small daycare center closed last year might be getting plenty of new foot traffic soon.
A foot spa called Happy Feet plans to open at 1504 N. Western Ave. on the border of Bucktown and East Humboldt Park in West Town.
Li Qiang Su, 42, owner of Happy Feet, said Tuesday that she is expanding her suburban chain to the city and hopes to open by June 1.
"It's like reflexology," Li Qiang Su said, referring to the alternative practice of therapy involving applying pressure to the feet, hand or ears without the use of oil or lotion.
Described as a "hidden gem" by a Yelp reviewer, Happy Feet charges $28 for a 40-minute massage and has won over many fans for its herbal soak and treatments.
Nadya, a receptionist for dentist Blanca Murillo who has an office in an adjacent storefront, said a new neighbor is "always better than an empty place."
"We're excited, think it's great," another neighbor said. "Foot spas are the new thing, popping up everywhere. We're happy because we think it will do a lot of business."
Matt Bailey, a spokesman for Ald. Joe Moreno (1st), said they "look forward to welcoming them into the neighborhood like everyone else."