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Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria Breaks Ground Near Midway Airport

By Ed Komenda | October 13, 2016 1:51pm | Updated on October 14, 2016 11:45am
 Neighbors and officials gathered to help break ground on a Lou Malnati's slated to open near Midway Airport.
Neighbors and officials gathered to help break ground on a Lou Malnati's slated to open near Midway Airport.
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DNAinfo/Kelly Bauer

MIDWAY — Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria will soon open near Midway International Airport.

The 5,000-square-foot restaurant is slated to open in spring 2017 on a former used car lot at 6456 S. Cicero Ave.

A number of dignitaries, including Mayor Rahm Emanuel, House Speaker Michael Madigan, Ald. Marty Quinn (13th) and Lou Malnati’s co-owner Rick Malnati, broke ground at the lot Friday morning.

“We are thrilled to be able to join the Midway neighborhood,” Malnati said in a statement. “A number of developments are breaking ground along Cicero Avenue, and we’re excited to see the neighborhood change for the better.”

Over the last year, a number of new developments have sprouted along Cicero Avenue. Panda Express recently bought a 16,000 square-foot lot at 6501 S. Cicero Ave., a property adjacent to the forthcoming Vib, a 74-room Best Western boutique hotel at 6501 S. Cicero Ave.

“With exciting developments like the Vib Chicago hotel and the addition of a Chicago staple like Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria, we’re hoping to give people a reason to stay, shop or dine around Midway," Quinn said.

Famous for its deep dish pizza, Lou Malnati’s has 13 full-service restaurants, two cafes and 32 carryout locations around Chicago.

Neighborhood folks and business owners hope the pizzeria serves as a catalyst for other restaurants to invest in the area.

“A high-quality restaurant like Lou Malnati's is a great asset for the community,” said John Kapusciarz, long-time general manager of European Chalet Banquets at The Mayor’s Mansion. “This will help in creating a ‘restaurant row’ in the airport district."

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