WICKER PARK — It's a wrap, Wicker Park: Saved by The Max, a pop-up restaurant replica of the diner from the NBC show "Saved by the Bell," has ended its Chicago run.
After celebrating its final night at 1941 W. North Ave. on Wednesday, the diner is headed to a to-be-announced spot in Los Angeles, it was announced on Thursday by actor Ed Alonzo.
In the popular 1990s show, Alonzo played the role of Max, the owner of the diner frequented by a posse of teens who attended fictional Bayside High School.
The diner debuted on June 1, 2016 and was initially scheduled for a one-month run. But it stuck around much longer — by popular demand.
“The journey of Saved by The Max never fails to amaze us,” Derek Berry one of the partners behind the diner, said in a news release. “To see it evolve from fan idea turned overnight social media craze, to an entire sold out year of operations in Chicago, and now coming full circle with a move to the show’s hometown of LA is nothing short of a dream come true for us all. It’s a real testament to the enduring popularity and legacy of the show.”
Berry said that Saved by The Max will open in Los Angeles before the end of the year, with plans to go to other cities after that.
During the year-long pop-up, over 20,000 "Bayside Burgers" were consumed by fans, who visited for dinner and late evening service nightly, along with select brunch services and a variety of special ticketed events.
There were guest appearances by Dennis Haskins, the actor who played the role of Bayside High's Principal Mr. Belding, and Max himself, Ed Alonzo.
Last Sept., Mario Lopez. who played hunky A.C. Slater, popped by for a surprise visit.
In another highlight, Jaina Logan, a Chicago cosplay model and blogger, was role-playing Kelly Kapowski from the show when her real-life boyfriend, Matthew Sperzel — a street/lifestyle fashion photographer who was dressed as Zack Morris, Kapowski's boyfriend on the show — popped the question. Logan said yes.
Stay updated on Saved by The Max's LA whereabouts on Instagram, at @savedbythemax or Facebook.
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