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315 N Dearborn Street
(Above) A rendering of Flander’s Beer and Fries, a small restaurant selling Belgian fries and beer that Dick’s Last Resort wants to open on the Chicago Riverwalk. On the back wall of the interior space at far right would be a scene from Belgium, located north of France. (Click on images to view larger versions.) A closer look at one Riverwalk proposal… Dick’s Last Resort wants to be first of Riverwalk concessionsWho are the prospective Riverwalk concession operators? You’ve probably heard of most of them. Businesses operating on the Chicago River now see the Riverwalk as an opportunity for expansion. But will Flanders Fries fly? 10-Mar-15 – Proposals were due by noon on Monday and now the city will select the first operators of concessions on the Chicago Riverwalk. The city’s Department of Fleet and Facility Management is looking for a mix of food and beverage, recreational, cultural, and educational concessions, operating on three blocks of the Riverwalk from State Street west to LaSalle Street. Based on prospective concessionaires who toured the Riverwalk’s interior arcade spaces on February 10, the proposals could include bars and restaurants, boat and kayak rental, and one business that will sell Belgian fries and beer. Dick’s Last Resort, which overlooks the Chicago River from the southwest corner of Marina City, has watched the Riverwalk being built and wants to be a part of it. The owners of the bar and restaurant, known for its casual atmosphere and sardonic servers, has submitted a proposal for a bistro that will sell the national dish of Belgium. Flander’s Beer and Fries wants from the city 2,150 square feet of space on its Riverwalk, a wall to separate it from the concession next door, and 200-amp electrical service, which it will pay for. In return, it will sell for the city fries in two sizes – a $5 serving and a $7 serving – draft and bottled beer, wine, soda, and bottled water. The arrangement is that the business would get a fixed monthly amount, in the range of two to three dollars, per square foot. If gross revenue for the year exceeds a specified six-figure amount, they get ten percent of it, payable in a lump sum on December 15.
(Above) Riverwalk construction across from Marina City on February 24. Flander’s would take up exactly one-third of Marina Plaza, between State Street and Dearborn Street. The Riverwalk “room” will have 4,700 square feet of exterior space for lease and development and 1,750 square feet of interior space in the arcade under Wacker Drive. The Cove, between Dearborn Street and Clark Street, will have 1,750 square feet of interior retail space. Between Clark and LaSalle, water taxis and charter boats will dock but there will be no retail space. American servicemen tried to name Belgian fries but were off by one country Belgian fries are like French fries, only fried twice, following a more complicated procedure. They are considered an important part of Belgium’s history. It was Belgian fries that American serviceman ate during World War I but they called them “French fries” because the official language of the Belgian Army was French. Flander’s fries, with a variety of sauces, will be served in paper cones. The beer will be four authentic Belgian beers and two local Belgian-style craft beers, served in recyclable plastic cups.
(Above) Flander’s Beer and Fries logo. Tables and chairs would be available to anyone arriving by foot or by boat. Crews of police boats and fireboats would be especially welcome. The space could also be used for private parties. “Those we attract to ‘come downstairs’ will see how easily they can move along the Riverwalk either east or west,” reads the proposal. “Those who are already on the Riverwalk level will see our facility as a stopping point, enjoying some refreshment before moving along to the next attraction on the Riverwalk.” The fries would be cut, cooked, and refrigerated at Dick’s, then transported across the river. Beer, soft drinks, and bottled water would be purchased from local vendors. The season for Flander’s would be from May 3 to November 1. They would be open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. until September 8, and then start closing at 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 7 p.m., the rest of the week. Texas company and local manager would own Flander’s The venture would be run by Texas AMP, Ltd., a company owned by Steve Schiff and Christy Zirnheld. Schiff, an attorney in Dallas, is CEO of the company that owns the Marina City location of Dick’s Last Resort. Zirnheld is the company’s chief financial officer.
The other eleven locations of Dick’s Last Resort are owned by Triton Pacific Capital Partners, LLC, a private equity firm in Los Angeles, and Nashville restaurateur Edwin Moats, Jr.
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