LINCOLN PARK — A Buffalo Wild Wings is preparing to open in late September on Clybourn Avenue in the space previously occupied by J. Alexander's restaurant.
The owner of the wing franchise is planning on closing the current Lincoln Park Buffalo Wild Wings location, 2464 N. Lincoln Ave., a week before the new restaurant opens.
The new bar and eatery will be located at 1832 N. Clybourn Ave. and will encompass about 10,000 square feet, according to Michael Ansley, president and CEO of Diversified Restaurant Holdings, which owns the franchise.
The Lincoln Avenue location is about 5,000 square feet, Ansley said.
"That location was 20 years old and really wasn't representative of the brand anymore," Ansley said of the Lincoln Avenue spot. "Also, the leases were up."
Ansley is planning to open the new restaurant on Sept. 29.
It will feature two bars, about 90 TVs and 317 seats, Ansley said.
"It's a big restaurant," he said. "We are doing a lot of 90- and 80-inch plasmas. We are pretty excited about it."
The Lincoln Park Buffalo Wild Wings is the only Chicago location of the franchise.
The J. Alexander's restaurant closed in February.
Ansley said the staff of the current Lincoln Avenue location will move to the new restaurant, and the one-week gap between the closing and opening of the new restaurant will be used to train employees.
