Portillo’s Emerges as Readers' Choice for Office Depot Space

Have you ever seen a poll where you were cheering for “other” to win?

For those with that wish it was granted by the survey Patch conducted to gauge reader interest in a tenant for the former Office Depot space near the intersection of Waukegan and Lake Cook Roads.

Earlier: Poll: What Should Replace Office Depot

Of the 14 people who responded to the poll, six chose “other” with five hoping for a food store, two for a computer center and one for a food operation.

Six readers were able to personify “other” and it has a name: Portillo’s. Though he has concerns about the location, Forest Barbieri is one of them. He thinks the business must be a destination location and thinks Portillo’s fits the bill.

“I agree something family oriented would be the best bet and Portillo's is one of the few restaurants that would have a chance there, as people should go out of their way to go there,” Barbieri writes.

Not everyone was so positive about the location. One reader, Dave Greenberg, feels the parcel of land as it is configured is not friendly for a lot of motorists. He would rather see it planted over.

“It doesn't matter what they put there unless you're heading northbound,” Greenberg writes. “Getting in to the lot is extremely difficult. Getting out after you're done shopping is just as bad (even if you're heading northbound).”

There were plenty of other suggestions by readers and almost an equal number of arguments against the ideas.

There was agreement about a return of Woodfire Chicken. Two wanted to see a reprise and no one objected. “I miss that place,” Frank Lopez writes.