Lincoln Square deli to reopen with rooftop deck
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(Crain’s) — Delicatessen Meyer, a longtime Lincoln Square favorite, is expected to reopen next week with a new owner and a rooftop deck that will serve food and alcohol.
Northwest Side-based Gene’s Sausage Shop & Delicatessen Inc., which acquired the shuttered German deli at 4750 N. Lincoln Ave. in 2007, is planning to reopen it Nov. 7.
Renamed Gene’s Sausage Shop at Delicatessen Meyer, the 7,000-square-foot location will feature 40 varieties of smoked ham, sausage and other deli meats, as well as Old World prepared foods such as cabbage rolls, crepes and pierogis.
But in a New World twist, the two-story structure will feature a rooftop deck overlooking the square and its trademark fountain. The deck is to open in spring 2010 and serve imported brands of beer, wine and hard liquor, as well as small plates of cheese, sausage and other foods, says Yolanda Luszcz, whose family owns Gene’s.
“Outdoor eating is a big part of European culture,” she says. “So having a rooftop deck seemed like a natural thing.”
The deli joins other European-inspired restaurants in the heart of the square, such as Chicago Brauhaus Inc. and Café Selmarie.
Gene’s, at 5330 W. Belmont Ave. in the Belmont-Cragin neighborhood, acquired the building in May 2007 from the U.S. Small Business Administration, according to property records. The government agency filed a foreclosure lawsuit in 2006 against a venture led by Hans Liebl, which acquired the property in 2004.
The Luszcz family paid $940,000 for the building, financing the acquisition with a $752,000 mortgage from Lakeside Bank, according to property records.
In addition to meat, Gene’s Lincoln Square location will also sell European brands of mustard, jelly, tea, chocolate and other foodstuffs, although the store’s telephone number — (773) SAUSAGE — is a nod to the shop’s specialty.
Delicatessen Meyer was opened by the Koetke family in 1954 in what was once a predominately German enclave. The shop attracted customers from all over Chicago with its authentic German meat and items like bratwurst and leberkase, which resembles a meatloaf. Mr. Liebl bought the deli from the Koetkes in 2004. He could not be reached.
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Don't know what it's called. I call it DELICIOUS!
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