Corner Bakery Cafe Reopens at Union Station

Photo byMapHobbit / Flickr / CC BY 2.0

(CHICAGO) The Corner Bakery Cafe originally opened at Chicago Union Station in 2003 but closed in 2020 during the pandemic. The fast-casual restaurant reopened its former Union Station location this July 15th.

Located at 444 W. Jackson Blvd, it's the sixth restaurant in Chicago and the 14th in Illinois. Corner Bakery is having a resurgence after filing for bankruptcy last year and gaining new ownership.

Originally a Chicago brand, Corner Bakery was founded in 1991 by Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises but sold to a Dallas-based company in 2011.

The new location at Union Station will offer outdoor patio seating along the river, kiosk ordering stations, grab-and-go items, and breakfast and lunch options for commuters.

Photo bycornerbakery / Instagram

Erin Hasselgren, president of Corner Bakery Cafe, said in a statement, "As a Chicagoan myself, I could not be more thrilled about this new chapter for our brand and bringing back this iconic and bustling location to life."

Corner Bakery Cafe was once a competitor of Panera, but Panera continued to grow while Corner Bakery struggled. Its new owners hope to expand by remodeling restaurants and opening new locations. The company also began new training programs for employees and introduced worker incentive programs. Chris Dharod, Corner Bakery’s CEO, said in a statement, “We see so much potential for the Corner Bakery Cafe brand."

The Chicago Union Station location is open Monday through Friday from 6 AM to 8:30 PM, and Saturday and Sunday from 7 AM to 5 PM. The Chicago menu features hot breakfast sandwiches, oatmeal, bakery selections, entree salads, and beverages.

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