Oxford Capital Group, LLC secured La Borra del Café, a rapidly expanding Mexican-style café chain, for the concept’s second Chicago location at The Shops at LondonHouse located at 360 N. Michigan Avenue at Wacker Drive.
The 1,505-square-foot café is expected to open late 2021, and will join Smashburger, one of the nation’s fastest growing “better burger” restaurants, which will open its first-ever Chicago location in mid-2021, also at The Shops at LondonHouse. Smashburger signed its lease in June 2020.
In addition to La Borra del Café and Smashburger, Oxford Capital Group recently secured a lease with Butler Hospitality in fall of 2020 as the NYC-based ghost kitchen for hotels launched in Chicago, operating a new all-day dine-in restaurant on the ground-floor of The Godfrey Hotel Chicago and expanding virtual room service to several additional downtown hotels.
“We are confident about the eventual recovery of North Michigan Avenue, downtown Chicago and its hospitality industry generally as we head into 2021. It’s gratifying that two of these three recent leases are on North Michigan Avenue given some of the recent announcements. We relate to and admire these tenants for having the vision and fortitude to make these commitments during this difficult and uncertain time,” said John W. Rutledge, founder, president and CEO of Oxford Capital Group and Oxford Hotels & Resorts. “Each of these tenants will be great additions to the Chicago retail and restaurant landscape as we emerge from the pandemic.”
The Shops at LondonHouse, now more than 80 percent leased including La Borra del Café, are located at the foot of Michigan Avenue Bridge (DuSable Bridge), and sit amidst prominent hotels, office buildings, the Chicago Architecture Center at 111 E Wacker Drive, and destination retail—including Apple’s flagship Chicago store directly across the river. Approximately 5,000 square feet of attractive ground floor retail space with strong visibility from North Michigan Avenue and the Chicago River, as well as well as some of the highest foot traffic counts in the city, remains available for lease.
“It’s a testament to the strength of LondonHouse and Godfrey as iconic properties in prime locations that we have been able to sign our third retail lease in downtown Chicago during these unprecedented times,” said Sarang Peruri, Chief Operating Officer, Oxford Capital Group, and Partner, Oxford Hotels & Resorts. “We are thrilled to have La Borra and Smashburger as tenants, who we view as excellent co-tenancy for LH Rooftop, Bridges Lounge, Ocean Prime, Land & Lake and Corner Bakery.”
