BUCKTOWN — A pizza parlor serving up New York-style thin crust pies, hamburgers and soft serve ice cream is parking itself next to a new pilates studio near The 606 and hopes to open by the end of the summer.
Taylor Hammond, a Wicker Park resident and self-described "child of the '80s," said The StopAlong at 1812 N. Milwaukee Ave. will be "very fun and different and not too serious."
"It will provide all those things you loved as a kid and that your kids still love," said Hammond, a former lawyer and first-time small business owner.
A nostalgic and childhood theme will be carried throughout the 1,500-square-foot spot, offering arcade games such as Pac-Man and Super Mario Bros. and pop-art inspired by comic book superheroes along the walls.
Hammond said The StopAlong is "still early in the process" but if everything goes as planned, he hopes to open by late summer.
Baked in an electric deck oven, the pizza will be "traditional old-world style," Hammond said. No slices will be sold, just whole pizzas in small and large sizes.
Provided the city grants him a liquor license, beer, wine and cocktails will be available, too.
The StopAlong joins a trio of new storefronts carved out of a long vacant warehouse at 1812-1816 N. Milwaukee Ave., just steps north of the elevated Bloomingdale Trail.
The StopAlong will be closest to the trail, while CHI50, a pilates studio, which hopes to open on May 1, will be in the middle. A tenant for the third storefront has not yet been announced.
Hammond said location was a big influence on where to open The StopAlong.
"It's kind of quiet and sleepy and neighborhood-y and very close to all the action and excitement of The 606," he said.
Once open, anticipated hours for The StopAlong are noon to 8 p.m. daily, according to the restaurant's Facebook page.
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