Harolds Chicken And Shrimp In Joliet: What Will It Become Now?

JOLIET, IL — If you've been thinking about opening your own taco stand, maybe a pizza parlor or perhaps a fast-food business that makes great-tasting Vienna Beef hotdogs, you now have a golden opportunity, but you will want to move fast because competition is fierce.

A FOR LEASE banner is displayed in front of Bays Investments' Catholic Charities building in downtown Joliet at the corner of Cass and Joliet Streets. Back in December 2019, George Anderson opened his Harolds Chicken & Shrimp franchise here at 201 North Ottawa Street.

Then, last summer, Joliet Patch broke the news revealing that Harold's went out of business.

Now, a year later, Bays Investments is courting new tenants to fill the fast-food restaurant vacancy created by the departure of Harold's Chicken.

The empty restaurant is across the street from two steady businesses that draw plenty of people to downtown Joliet: the Harrah's Casino and Hotel and its neighbor to the north, the Sterling & Knight Jewelry and Pawn Shop.

In addition to the empty Harold's, downtown Joliet has also been without the Joliet Route 66 Diner for more than a year. The empty Route 66 Diner is located along Clinton Street across from the main branch of the Joliet Public Library.