BUSINESS

Potbelly restaurant coming to Mishawaka

JOSEPH DITS
South Bend Tribune

MISHAWAKA — Potbelly Sandwich Works, a Chicago-based restaurant chain that serves hot sandwiches, soups and shakes, plans to move into the former Hooters restaurant site at 205 W. Day Road.

The city’s Plan Commission on Tuesday voted 7-0 to give a favorable recommendation to rezoning the property, which would allow for a drive-through restaurant for Potbelly. The rezoning will next go to the city council on Aug. 4. 

Louis Schriber III, the CEO of Shorewood Development Group in Buffalo Grove, Ill., told the commission he hopes to start construction in September and open by January or February. Besides a Potbelly restaurant, the project would include space for a retail operation.

“We want to get it open as soon as possible,” Schriber said, noting that he’s within 30 days of closing on the property. “We were driven to this location by Potbelly, and they’re excited to be here.”

Hooters closed in October 2011, and it has been vacant since then.

Schriber said Potbelly, which recently went public, has close to 400 restaurants and is looking to add another 50 each year. He described them as family friendly and nonsmoking.

The chain just started adding drive-throughs in the Chicago area, he added.

Of the building, 2,458 square feet would be used for Potbelly. The remaining 4,824 square feet would be for retail. Schriber said his firm is still in discussion with some retailers but can’t disclose who they are.

“We’re going for a less parking intensive (retailer) because Potbelly expects to be busy,” he said of the 80 parking spaces at the site.

The rezoning that the commission approved Tuesday would change the property from C-4 Automobile Oriented Commercial to C-7 Automobile Oriented Restaurant Commercial.

The former Hooters on Day Road between Main Street and Grape Road in Mishawaka will be converted into a Potbelly Sandwich Works.