Like so many cities, Chicago’s restaurants and commercial kitchen spaces have felt Covid-19’s economic sting. Some have gone to a delivery-only model to stay afloat, while others have had to close down permanently in the face of rising rents.
However, there are some rental agencies who see the light at the tunnel’s end. The FDA has approved multiple vaccines for widespread use, and it seems likely that less than a year from now, the restaurant and commercial foodservice industries will be ready to get going again.
As restrictions gradually become laxer, this is a time when some intrepid business owners and would-be business owners can step forward to revitalize this struggling industry. Let’s take a look at why you might want to step up and survey Chicago’s commercial kitchen spaces as 2020 mercifully draws to a close.
Amped Kitchens and What They Can Offer Chicago’s Food-Making Community
If you’re looking for a commercial kitchen for rent in Chicago, you might want to start by perusing Amped Kitchen’s rental properties. They offer:
- Permit-ready spaces
- Spots within this city’s dynamic food-making community
Chicago and great food are already synonymous. The Second City has it all, from delectable deep-dish pizza to BBQ, from seafood to veggie burgers.
That’s why it has been so distressing to see so many iconic restaurants and food creation spaces suffer during the past year. Amped Kitchens wants to respond to that pain, and they are doing so with some extremely generous rental incentives.
What Can Amped Kitchens Give You Right Now?
If you’re interested in opening up a new commercial food creation space early in 2021, you can certainly do that. Amped Kitchens offers you:
- A virtual tour option if you can’t see their properties in-person right now
- Two months of free rent for multiple locations
The two free months go to new lease signers who agree to a one-year residency or more. Amped Kitchens has several spaces available, but the latest addition is their building on the city’s Northwest Side. It is quite close to O’Hare/Rosemont, Oak Park, Albany Park, and Logan Square.
As a food producer who hopes to cater to all of these locales, you can have your very own commercial kitchen space where you can bring in your team and get to work with the culinary creations that can propel you to superstardom.
What Else Does the New Amped Kitchen Space Offer?
The new Amped Kitchen space is a former Zenith factory. It has a charming industrial look. There are a total of 64 production spaces, each one ready for its new tenant.
This is going to be one of Chicago’s newest food innovation centers. The company anticipates 250 new jobs coming out of this space, which can revitalize Chicago’s pandemic-damaged economy.
You can anticipate other innovative food creators on either side of you since these spaces should go fast. You can move your supplies in and out via multiple loading docks. If you’re running catering to different parts of the city, this is how you can easily do that.
There’s public transportation access nearby, with the expressway just moments away and trucking lines if you’re moving your finished goods out of the city. Your employees can enjoy convenient onsite parking as well.
There’s a USDA office onsite, so you can get the inspections and certifications you need. There are coworking spaces and conference rooms, so you can meet with your staff to talk about expansion opportunities, new menu items, big catering orders, marketing campaigns, etc.
If you need to set up an organic-only food environment, you can do that. You can also prepare according to Kosher rules, gluten-free, or whatever else appeals to you and your customers.
Other Incentives
You should also know if you’re looking at the available spaces they are not one-size-fits-all. You can get spaces as large as 2,000 square feet or as small as 150 square feet as you so desire.
You can bring in any specialized equipment you need, and you should be able to hook it all up and get it operational with no problems. Regardless of whether you’re doing wild boar sausage or artisanal cupcakes, you’ll find the facility you need waiting for you.
Essentially, these spaces are going to be like food-creation apartment buildings. There’s no question that you will be working alongside dedicated and talented individuals who can’t wait to put a very challenging 2020 in the rearview and revitalize and stimulate Chicago’s foodie community.