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Crab & Chophouse spin-off of father's place
CHICAGO- Intent on equaling or surpassing the phenomenal highvolume success of Bob Chinn's Crab House in suburban Wheeling, Ill., Michael Chinn, with help from his father and private investors, is starting construction on his own mega-restaurant on the Chicago River.
The planned Chinn's Chicago Crab & Chophouse is expected to be three times larger than the next-- biggest restaurant in the city. The restaurant will reign as the city's most spacious dining operation when it opens late this year. The new Chinn's also is expected to pose a substantial competitive challenge to a River North neighborhood teeming with big-name dining attractions.
China's father's namesake establishment opened 18 years ago, and it has long been one of the nation's highest-grossing restaurants, with sales for the 650-seat Wheeling landmark in the range of $23 million last year. The senior China, who says he has no plans to retire anytime soon, repeatedly has turned down offers over the years to open additional spots.
Despite competition from a slew...