New Popeyes opens in Schaumburg; Hoffman Estates may be next

Whether or not it can claim to be Schaumburg's first new business post-pandemic, the village's first Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen began serving customers this week near the northeast corner of Algonquin and Meacham roads.

The transformation of the long-vacated Wendy's restaurant building into a Popeyes was approved by Schaumburg trustees last fall.

Officials transferred a special-use permit to Popeyes after it originally had been issued for a Fino Gyros and Hot Dogs restaurant proposed for the building at 1430 E. Algonquin Road by the owner of the neighboring Chicago Prime Steakhouse.

Though the new Popeyes was a separate proposal backed by different investors, it also planned to make major upgrades to the 2,600-square-foot building that was 40 years old when Wendy's abandoned it six years ago to move to a new building immediately east.

Another proposal for a new Popeyes will be reviewed by Hoffman Estates' planning and zoning commission Wednesday, for possible approval by the village board next Monday. The restaurant would sit on a 0.7-acre site of village-owned land on Golf Road just east of Hoffman Plaza.

Last September, Hoffman Estates officials entered into a contract to sell the land to the developer of the Popeyes for $800,000.

Though the restaurant industry was hard hit by COVID-19, Popeyes franchises weathered the downturn relatively well, Hoffman Estates Economic Development Director Kevin Kramer said at the time.

The village purchased the site in 2012 with the intention of spurring new development there. Officials immediately razed vacant snowmobile and motorcycle shops on the site and replaced them with a grass lawn to make the property more attractive to potential investors.