LAKEVIEW — After 50 years within the neighborhood, Belmont Military Classic is closing this spring to make means for a brand new condo growth — however relocation of the beloved resale store remains to be a risk.
The clothes and army surplus store at 925 W. Belmont Ave. introduced in an Instagram put up Friday that the shop might be shuttering in Could and that each one gadgets are on sale at 50 % off the conventional worth. The closure comes as Belmont Military Classic is about to lose its constructing to a growth scheduled to interrupt floor this yr.
Mavrek Growth is planning to show the brick retail constructing close to the Belmont L cease right into a five-story, 46-unit condo constructing with 5,300 sq. ft of ground-floor retail and 7 parking areas.
“We’re unhappy to announce that [Belmont Army Vintage] might be closing in Could. We now have been serving Chicago for 50 years and have beloved each second of it,” administration mentioned within the social media put up. “With new development taking our constructing, we needed to make the troublesome choice to finish our time right here.”
The put up additionally teased a possible relocation with out making any definitive guarantees.
“There’s nonetheless hope for a future [Belmont Army Vintage] location, however for now, we have now discounted our ENTIRE STORE by 50%!” the put up reads. “We would like our classic and costume gadgets alike to go to great properties.”
Belmont Military Classic opened in 1975 at 985 W. Belmont Ave. earlier than transferring to 855 W. Belmont Ave. It moved to its present location at 925 W. Belmont Ave. in 2018.
The shop’s supervisor, Camryn Carmichael, mentioned Belmont Military Classic’s lease ends on the final day of Could and that the shop will seemingly shut in mid-Could.
Although the condo growth has been within the works for over a yr, Carmichael mentioned that Belmont Military Classic homeowners, who hire out the constructing from a “uncommunicative” landlord, had been formally alerted in February that the event was transferring ahead and the enterprise can be displaced.
“We didn’t have any say, largely as a result of we don’t personal the constructing,” Carmichael defined. “We’re renting it out from the [building] homeowners, so all of that call making and communication occurred between the builders and the landlords. We didn’t have a set time limit till one other report got here out that development is about to start within the second quarter [of this year].”
The closure comes after Belmont Military Classic suffered a critical hearth in July 2022 that brought on a protracted closure of the enterprise. Belmont Military Classic opened an Andersonville location that fall, however that retailer has since closed.
Carmichael started working at Belmont Military Classic in 2023 as the shop was opening again up on Belmont Avenue following a yr’s price of repairs. A fan of the shop earlier than turning into an worker, Carmichael mentioned the ethos of the shop ignited a need to stop her 70-hour-a-week job in safety and transfer from Indianapolis to Lakeview. She holds her job near her coronary heart.
“It sucks,” she added. “This has been considerably of a ardour challenge for me.”
The event slated to switch Belmont Military Classic was not too long ago scaled right down to expedite its development timeline and keep away from a prolonged Metropolis Council approval course of.
Introduced in spring 2024, the event challenge at 925 W. Belmont Ave. initially known as for an 11-story constructing with 210 condo models and 10,000 sq. ft of retail area.
Mavrek Growth then scaled the challenge again by one story and 10 flats in response to public suggestions. In February, the agency introduced it was drastically downsizing the challenge, with plans for a five-story, 46-unit constructing.
Inexpensive condo choices had been faraway from the plans. As a result of the challenge’s smaller scope doesn’t want particular metropolis approval, no inexpensive models are mandated within the growth.
“What’s most essential to us is placing ahead a challenge that may be executed now, as out there stock is low and demand for high-quality transit-served flats is at an all-time excessive,” Mavrek CEO Adam Friedberg mentioned in an announcement final month.
The brand new challenge spares the Ann Sather restaurant at 909 W. Belmont Ave., which was to be redeveloped underneath the sooner plans. Some companies, together with BopNGrill at 921 W. Belmont Ave., have already closed in preparation for the challenge.
The way forward for Belmont Military Classic stays murky, Carmichael mentioned. It’s “not possible” that Belmont Military Classic reopens within the retail area Mavrek is constructing as a result of presumed hire hikes, though Carmichael mentioned she’s been storefronts in Rogers Park, Edgewater and Logan Sq..
Carmichael mentioned that the enterprise is planning on launching a GoFundMe within the close to future for patrons trying to help the long-lasting Lakeview classic retailer.
Patrick Filbin contributed reporting.
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