Kuma’s Slated for Former Counter Burger Bar

Burger connoisseurs were shocked when the popular burger joint The Counter at 666 W. Diversey Parkway abruptly shut its doors, but maybe the next tenant will ease their concerns.

Popular heavy-metal burger bar Kuma’s Corner, originally located at 2900 W. Belmont Ave. in Avondale, announced it will open its second location where The Counter once stood, Grub Street Chicago reports. Already named Kuma’s Too, the Lincoln Park restaurant will have 73 seats, an even larger space than it’s flagship store.

“It’s going to be cute, I guess,” Kuma’s owner Michael Cain told Chicago Magazine, referring to what will surely be a hard-rock atmosphere.

But what happened to The Counter? The California-based, build-your-own burger restaurant snagged Oprah Winfrey’s vote as “Best Burger,” among other accreditations, and area residents noted the place was always busy.

Counter co-CEO Craig Albert said it all came down to money.

“Basically that spot is run by a franchise, and the franchisee found it wasn’t profitable to run that location anymore,” Albert said. “I want to thank the loyal customers, but the franchisee found it wasn’t financially viable. We’re hoping to reopen in Chicago again sometime soon.”

Construction crews at the upcoming Kuma’s Too have already papered the windows and stripped the inside of any resemblance of The Counter’s former looks. An employee at the site said he expects construction to last about six weeks.

And the busy intersection at Diversey, Clark Street and North Broadway will soon become even busier once the new Walmart Neighborhood Market opens Jan. 16, followed by a new Walgreens Flagship store in late 2013 and a new glass mixed-use tower not long after that.

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