ByShoppers can already buy cookware at Skokie’s Westfield Old Orchard, but this summer they’ll also be able to pick up groceries. When the mall’s new 22,500-square-foot food court is finished, it will offer a wide variety of dining options and a 5,500-square-foot grocery store.
“There’s a push by Westfield to always be putting the cutting edge options for food in our centers,” said Amy Benson, director of marketing for Westfield. “It’s become a new trend to become a one-stop shop, whether shoppers [are] coming for a dress for an evening out or going for a loaf of bread.”
Old Orchard shut down its food court in September. Since then, construction has been under way on the first U.S. venue for Richtree Market Restaurants, which has six locations in Canada. The new food court will feature open kitchens serving a huge selection of dishes including sushi, pasta, pizza, omelets and salads.
“You really get to see the soup being made from scratch, the baked good actually being baked there in the market,” Benson said. “It’s all being freshly created right in front of your eyes.”