Emporium Arcade Bar Planning Suburban Expansion [Updated]

Are the suburbs the next frontier for Emporium Arcade Bar? After opening in Wicker Park and Logan Square, fraternal owners Danny and Doug Marks are trying to open in a Lincolnshire shopping center, according to the Tribune.

The Marks brothers presented to the local village board yesterday, where they said they'd like to use a 9,800-square-foot space at 275 Parkway Drive to blend the concepts from their first two locations, including arcade and table games, craft beer, and a stage for live music. In addition to the Lincolnshire site, they reportedly attempted to secure a location in Vernon Hills but were denied because of a lack of a food component.

The Emporium guys aren't the first highly-successful concept to attempt suburban expansion, as Kuma's Corner's Schaumburg location is still in the works. Stay tuned to see if Emporium can follow suit.

UPDATE: Emporium co-owner Danny Marks expanded more on the Lincolnshire concept, which he says will be named Emporium Lake County. He says the space is "nearly ready to go," has a fully-built bar and draft lines they'll use, and they're just planning cosmetic changes. There's also a full kitchen that they're discussing a few ideas for, including having Chicago restaurants pop up and cook.

"A lot of people come to Emporium from the suburbs and say how great it would be to have one out there," he says. They're hoping to open in the summer.