Listings

Summary:

Don't miss this exceptional opportunity to lease one of Chicago's few remaining second-generation drive-thru restaurant buildings.

Situated on a highly visible hard corner along the busy 79th Street commercial corridor, this freestanding 3,712 sqft building sits on a generous 0.51-acre parcel with 32 dedicated parking spaces, an existing permitted drive-thru and extensive restaurant infrastructure already in place - saving an incoming tenant significant time and capital.

Unlike new construction, this property allows operators to avoid the lengthy entitlement process and substantial build-out costs typically associated with developing a new drive-thru location. With 3 commercial exhaust hood systems, black iron gas lines, Ansul fire suppression, multiple walk-in coolers and freezers, grease trap infrastructure, commercial kitchen layout and an existing drive-thru with proper vehicle stacking, the property offers an estimated $200,000 to $400,000 in tenant improvement savings while potentially reducing development timelines by 6 to 18 months.

Property Highlights

- 3,712 sqft freestanding building
- Built in 2005
- Existing & permitted drive-thru lane
- 32 on-site parking spaces
- Large 0.51-acre (22,216 sqft) site
- Approximately 207 feet of frontage
- B3-1 Community Shopping zoning
- Excellent visibility
- Along one of Chicago's primary E-W commercial corridors
- Immediate occupancy

The building is immediately available and ideally suited for:

- National or regional quick-service restaurants
- Fast-casual restaurants
- Drive-thru coffee concepts
- Pharmacy operators
- Urgent care or medical users
- Dialysis centers
- Banks or financial institutions
- Automotive service concepts
- Convenience retail and other B3-1 permitted commercial uses

Feel free to stop by the location first. If interested, please complete the short Contact Form on the right or email Ted Aretos at Ted@eatz-associates.com or call 815-761-8334 for more information. Showings by appointment only.

Competition:

Opportunities to lease a true second-generation drive-thru building in Chicago are becoming increasingly scarce.

This property offers a combination of attributes that are extremely difficult and expensive to recreate today:

- Existing drive-thru approvals already in place
- Significant tenant improvement savings
- Fully built-out commercial kitchen infrastructure
- Large parking field uncommon for the corridor
- High-visibility hard corner location
- Flexible B3-1 zoning accommodating a wide variety of commercial uses
- Positioned along a major South Side commercial corridor currently benefiting from significant -public & private reinvestment
- Immediate availability for occupancy

This is an exceptional opportunity for national brands, regional operators, franchise groups and expanding local businesses seeking a premier South Side location with substantial infrastructure already in place and the ability to open significantly faster than a ground-up development.

Growth and Expansion:

This location is supported by:

- 257,883 residents within 3 miles
- 90,225 households
- Average household income of $74,495
- More than $2.17 billion in annual consumer spending
- Approximately $231 million spent annually dining away from home
- Nearly 5,000 employees within one mile
- Strong daily traffic exposure along the 79th Street retail corridor

Also, positioned on a corridor undergoing major investment. Few leasing opportunities offer the combination of existing restaurant infrastructure and long-term neighborhood growth found here. The property benefits from more than $100 million in nearby completed and planned investment, including:

- Auburn Park Metra Station (opening late 2026)
- Healthy Lifestyle Hub
- Auburn Gresham Apartments
- Invest South/West redevelopment initiatives
- City of Chicago investment exceeding $750 million across priority commercial corridors

Location:

Prime retail space in a freestanding building with drive-thru in the heart of Chicago's Auburn Gresham neighborhood, the property serves a dense urban trade area with over 257,000 residents within 3 miles and nearly 1.9 million residents within 10 miles.

The surrounding corridor includes major national retailers such as Walmart Neighborhood Market, McDonald's, Burger King, Dunkin', Popeyes, Aldi and Family Dollar, providing consistent daily consumer traffic and strong co-tenancy.

Plus, exceptional public transportation with CTA Route 79 directly in front of the property, convenient access to the CTA Red Line and the new Auburn Park Metra Station opening nearby in late 2026, providing direct service to downtown Chicago.

County: Cook

Facilities:

Property Information: 3,712 sqft single-tenant one-store building with drive-thru. Built in 2005. On 0.51 acre lot (22,216 sqft of land).

Lease Information: Lease for $7,733/mth base rent ($25 sqft + NNN). Landlord offering a new 7-10 year lease with options.

Real Estate: Owned (Landlord Leasing Out)

Value of FF&E: (Space For Lease).

Value of Inventory: (Space For Lease).

Number of Employees: (Space For Lease).

Support/Training: (Space For Lease).

Seller Financing Available: No.

Reason for Selling: Space available.