By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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BELVIDERE — A fast-casual restaurant centered on made-to-order chicken wings is preparing to make its debut in the region.
Wing Snob, which was founded in 2017 in Detroit, plans to renovate the former Pope Clinic of Chiropractic, 1414 N. State St., for its first restaurant in the area. A second restaurant that has not been identified would also come to the site, according to plans submitted to the city. The proposal requires City Council approval before it can move forward.
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Mihir Patel, who is bringing the franchise here, opened his first Wing Snob in Mount Prospect on Monday. He said bringing Wing Snob to town will provide a quick-service option not currently available among the string of restaurants that line State Street.
“This city needs some kind of wings concept,” Patel said. “I don’t see the wing concept here, so I decided to bring Wing Snob here.”
The brand specializes in never-frozen traditional and boneless wings using all natural and hormone-free chicken. There are also plant-based options with its “Beyond tenders” and a lineup of 15 sauces.
The restaurant chain was founded by Brian Shunia and Jack Mashini in Michigan, and it added nearly 20 locations across the country last year. It now has more than 40 restaurants, including Patel’s first franchise in Mount Prospect. There are also Wing Snobs in Elgin and Matteson and plans to open in Aurora, Oak Lawn and Libertyville, according to the company’s website. It plans to have 100 restaurants by 2025.
Carl Gnewuch, who serves as the chairman of the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission, said he saw the company’s growth firsthand while living in Michigan. He moved back here shortly after the first Wing Snob opened in Michigan.
“It took off right away,” he said. “It’s become very popular in the Detroit area and from there it’s just branched out.”
The matter requires City Council approval before Patel can move forward with construction. The area is zoned for commercial uses, including a restaurant, but a special-use permit is needed because of the plans to include video gaming machines.
The permit received unanimous approval from the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission, the first stop before it heads to the City Council’s Committee of the Whole.
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The site would be reconfigured to allow access directly from State Street, according to plans submitted to the city. The roof would also be replaced and a small addition would be built at the rear of the building and the northwest corner.
For years, the property was home to Pope Clinic of Chiropractic. Roger Pope, a doctor of chiropractic, ran his practice from that location for 43 years starting in 1980, according to the Illinois Chiropractic Society. Patel’s realty group would buy the property from Pope if the restaurant proposal is approved.
Patel’s background in business includes other restaurant franchises and the soon-to-open Speed Trek Fuel Center at Genoa Road and Crystal Parkway. He came to the U.S. from India in 2003 and started working at Rosati’s in Niles. His goal at the time was to own the flagship Rosati’s, and he achieved that goal in 2020 when he took over the Rosati’s in Mount Prospect.
Patel said if the proposal is approved by City Council he would be construction right away with a goal to open later this year or in early 2025.
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas