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The first news came in 2017, but after a two-year wait, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, the Ohio-based chain of gourmet ice cream parlors from James Beard Award winner Jeni Britton Bauer, has finally announced that it is opening in the West Loop. The upcoming location at 165 N. Sangamon Street is in a building with Bonci pizza and will eventually include Kinton Ramen. The spokesperson for Jeni’s confirmed the plans to move into a two-level space.
The West Loop parlor follows locations in Lakeview, Wicker Park, Lincoln Park, Old Town, and one in front of Wrigley Field. It’s also not where Jeni’s first intended to open in the West Loop. The ice cream parlor was pegged for Randolph Restaurant Row at 911-915 W. Randolph Street.
The Columbus, Ohio chain is known for its waffle cones and creative flavors like Wildberry Lavender. Locations also pander to the locals; they’ve already concocted a flavor with Right Bee Cider, the cidery out of Hermosa. The opening of the Wrigleyville location also gave Jeni’s an excuse to roll out a flavor with peanuts and caramel as an homage to baseball.
Jeni’s will fight for Instagram dessert supremacy in the West Loop with BomboBar. A Jeni’s spokesperson said the company had nothing more to add at this time. There’s no opening date, but the new location is bigger than the nixed spot on Randolph Street. The news was first reported by Crain’s.