One of Chicago's most exciting new food halls is going into hibernation this winter and temporarily shutting its doors until spring 2021.
"Politan Row has decided to hibernate this winter in Chicago in order to best position our vendors for success in the spring," Politan Group CEO Will Donaldson wrote in an email to Time Out Chicago. "While our long-term outlook for the project is very positive, we expect that this winter could be exceptionally tough, which is what governs our decision."
The West Loop culinary collective is home to two bars as well as eight chef vendors, ranging from modern Asian street food specialists PIKO Street Kitchen to newcomer Polombia, presenting a mashup of Polish and Colombian fare. A handful of chefs who maintain stalls within the food hall, including Gold Goose Tartine owner Jeremy Leven, have taken to Instagram to share the news.
"Unfortunately, we've been informed that Politan Row will be closing down the food hall for the remainder of the winter... and into the spring," Leven says in an Instagram recording. "So, unfortunately, that leaves Gold Goose without a home. It's a difficult blow, but it's something that we are going to move forward with. ... The business is intact—we just need a new place to set up shop, and I'm here to ask for your help."
The women behind Mexican-Jewish bakery Masa Madre, who also maintain a stall at Politan Row, took to Instagram to share slightly more uplifting news. Moving forward, they'll offer pickup from Hopewell Brewing Company in Logan Square; they'll also be baking out of the Hatchery, a nonprofit Chicago incubator focused on food and drink.
Politan Row operates food halls across the U.S., including in Houston, Miami, New Orleans and Jackson, Mississippi. Their Chicago location, which is situated inside the same building as McDonald's corporate headquarters, opened just last year. Like most restaurants in Chicago, Politan Row temporarily shuttered back in March but eventually reopened with a tighter chef lineup in August.
The West Loop food hall temporarily closes today and has not yet shared an official reopening date for spring 2021. "Please consider supporting our vendors as they operate in pop-ups and ghost kitchens during the winter," Donaldson says via email. Take a look at some of those vendors below.
View this post on InstagramA message from Chef Jeremy. The foodhall is closing, help us find our new home.
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