UPDATE: Thursday August 4th at 5:00 p.m.:
According to the post in the News-Gazette, it is official:
Chicago-based Giordano’s will bring its famed stuffed deep-dish pizza to Market Place Mall, a corporate spokeswoman confirmed Thursday to The News-Gazette.
“We believe that Champaign is a great market for us to open a restaurant as we can bring Giordano’s pizza to UI students and residents of central Illinois who crave our stuffed deep-dish pizza,” the spokeswoman said.
“We hear so many stories of folks that drive to Chicago just to order our pizza, and we are thrilled that we will soon be able to bring Giordano’s straight to their door.”
The restaurant will take over the 5,000-square-foot space last occupied by Buca di Beppo near the food court at the mall, at 2000 N. Neil St. The Italian chain restaurant, conceived by UI alum Phil Roberts, closed in late January after operating at the mall since late summer of 2012.
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Initial post: Tuesday August 2nd at 11:46 a.m.
Per some top-notch investigating from our pals over at ChamabanaMoms.com — there are signs pointing to Giordano’s coming to Champaign. The Chicago pizza chain could be here soon:
Giordano’s, known for its stuffed deep dish pizza — aka “Chicago style” — could be preparing to open in Market Place Mall in the space formerly occupied by Buca di Beppo.
According to the website for Engineering Concepts & Solutions, Inc., Giordano’s is listed as the client for ECS’ project at Market Place Mall. Market Place general manager Dennis Robertson declined to comment.
Repeated messages left at Giordano’s corporate offices were not returned.
More Chicago restaurants making their way here — you know, Portillo’s as well, at some point soon.
