Little Beans, a family café and indoor playground located in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood, is looking to open a new location in Evanston.
The café has filed paperwork with the City of Evanston’s Planning and Zoning Division to complete a special use process with the City’s Zoning Board of Appeals and Planning & Development Committee to occupy space at 430 Asbury Ave. Little Beans is currently working with the property owner to negotiate a lease to locate at the space, formerly an Osco Drug store.
The lease is a two-step process because the property is currently leased by CVS pharmacy; Little Beans must come to an agreement with both the property owner and CVS in order to sub-lease the space.
“Evanston families are excited about the prospect of a unique, family-friendly destination opening its doors in the neighborhood,” said Ninth Ward Alderman Coleen Burrus. “Both [Eighth Ward] Alderman Rainey and I have worked to bring something to this space that is good for the community and the neighborhood. Transforming this unoccupied commercial space into a successful small business benefitting the community has been a long time in the making.”
“Little Beans café is a wonderful use for the Asbury/Oakton site,” said Ald.Rainey. “We love the city of Evanston and feel it’s the perfect mix of urban and suburban for Little Beans,” said co-owner Shannon Valko.
Ms. Valko will tell community members more about the cafe’s plans at the Feb. 12 Ninth Ward Meeting 7 p.m. at the Levy Center, 300 Dodge Ave.