Arnies Restaurant on Leonard NW

[pcdoctor]

When the Arnie's Restaurant on Leonard NW went up in Flames last year, I thought I had heard that they were going to rebuild the restaurant and that it would reopen this spring. Well now that doesn't seem to be the case to me it seems like. At the site where the restaurant once stood, they recently planted grass seed on the property. What's going on? Does anyone know anything? I do not have a way to contact the corporate office, nor does the manager at the Arnie's restaurant that I spoke with when I called the one by Centerpointe Mall.

[JimInGR]

When the Arnie's Restaurant on Leonard NW went up in Flames last year, I thought I had heard that they were going to rebuild the restaurant and that it would reopen this spring. Well now that doesn't seem to be the case to me it seems like. At the site where the restaurant once stood, they recently planted grass seed on the property. What's going on? Does anyone know anything? I do not have a way to contact the corporate office, nor does the manager at the Arnie's restaurant that I spoke with when I called the one by Centerpointe Mall.

I heard last week from a reliable source that Arnie's is in a dispute with the owners of the land and are currently thinking about moving the offices and restaurant to the old D&W in Walker Village

[Stay Cold]

I heard last week from a reliable source that Arnie's is in a dispute with the owners of the land and are currently thinking about moving the offices and restaurant to the old D&W in Walker Village

As much as i'd hate to see the Leonard buildings go vacant, the D&W building in Walker Village has been vacant for 5+ years now, it'd be great to see some action in that area again, that area has slowly been turning into a dead zone lately.

[Raildudes dad]

I heard last week from a reliable source that Arnie's is in a dispute with the owners of the land and are currently thinking about moving the offices and restaurant to the old D&W in Walker Village

AccessKent records show the land owner and restaurateur to be one and the same.

As much as i'd hate to see the Leonard buildings go vacant, the D&W building in Walker Village has been vacant for 5+ years now, it'd be great to see some action in that area again, that area has slowly been turning into a dead zone lately.

I wouldn't be surprised to find out that Spartan has a long term lease on the building and is paying Visser Brothers every month until the lease expires. Seems odd that VB's hasn't redeveloped the building. I'm guessing it's cheaper for Spartan to pay the lease than buy it out.

[pcdoctor]

AccessKent records show the land owner and restaurateur to be one and the same.

I wouldn't be surprised to find out that Spartan has a long term lease on the building and is paying Visser Brothers every month until the lease expires. Seems odd that VB's hasn't redeveloped the building. I'm guessing it's cheaper for Spartan to pay the lease than buy it out.

Every now and then, some sort of group of which I'm not sure of does use the old D&W building to sell some thrift items in there.

[Veloise]

Every now and then, some sort of group of which I'm not sure of does use the old D&W building to sell some thrift items in there.

Not indoors, perhaps in the parking lot. Which now has chains and tape and "selling of vehicles prohibited" signage.

[pcdoctor]

Not indoors, perhaps in the parking lot. Which now has chains and tape and "selling of vehicles prohibited" signage.

Yes they sell stuff inside

[RegalTDP]

Arnie's Unveils Plans for New Restaurants (MLive)

The latest Arnie's news... They're working on a deal to sell the 710 Leonard to developers:

The nearly 1.5 acre location could be built out as a mix of retail and offices by Chicago developers. That deal would finance the expansion of Arnie's nearby bakery shop at 815 Leonard St. NW, allowing it to include a restaurant. Arnie's owners currently are considering property to make that expansion happen, but declined to discuss specifics.

Also in the hopper are plans for another new restaurant on a yet-to-be-determined city site.

This is potentially exciting news - if the sale goes down, rather than just rebuilding the old Arnie's, we could now add in a second location in GR, plus a retail development.

"A lot of it is going to be tenant-driven," said Brett Katz, managing member of R & D Katz Real Estate. They are pinning their hopes on a national retailer wanting to snag the site.

"You'll see up and down the street there are some national retailers. Some of their competitors may want to relocate here."

The stretch is home to a Walgreens, AutoZone, Fifth Third bank branch and Family Dollar.

I hope it all goes through - I didn't know the West Leonard area was that attractive to developers.

[pcdoctor]

Arnie's Unveils Plans for New Restaurants (MLive)

The latest Arnie's news... They're working on a deal to sell the 710 Leonard to developers:

This is potentially exciting news - if the sale goes down, rather than just rebuilding the old Arnie's, we could now add in a second location in GR, plus a retail development.

I hope it all goes through - I didn't know the West Leonard area was that attractive to developers.

Umm. To me, there isn't enough space to expand to have a restaurant at the site of where the bakery currently sits right now. What would the plan involve if that happened?

[pcdoctor]

Great News Everyone:

They are going to rebuild the Arnie's restaurant on Leonard NW!!

http://www.wzzm13.com/news/news_story.aspx?storyid=153118&catid=14

But the opening is still a ways away though.

[GRDadof3]

Video:

[gvsusean]

Video:

i stht parking lot for a future meijer?

[Allison Slater]

I like that large patio.

[fotoman311]

Video:

I wonder where they'll put the required bicycle parking. Didn't see it in the rendering. I hope they source local Cycle-Safe or equivalent quality U-rack instead of the substandard racks I see in many projects.