Speedway, Love's, Casey's Fuel Channahon's Economic Development

CHANNAHON, IL — If you've driven along Route 6 in Channahon lately, you can't help but notice that construction crews are busy building a new Speedway gas station, one that can accommodate semi-trucks. The new Speedway should open in December, and the company plans to demolish the existing Speedway gas station across the street sometime after the new one opens, according to village officials.

Speedway is one of several major fuel station projects underway or set to begin in 2020 in Channahon. These days, the village south of Joliet has a lot on its plate.

Next year, the Casey's General Store along Route 6 will be replaced with a new and improved gas station and convenience store. It will be built on an adjacent lot.

Meanwhile, Channahon also is getting a Love's Travel Center. Love's will be built near Bluff Road and Exchange Boulevard. The major commercial construction project will also include an Arby's, Godfather's Pizza and Chester's Chicken, said Mike Petrick, Channahon's director of community development.

(Article continues below this photo.)

Petrick also said two other business redevelopments are currently moving ahead and should open in the coming months.

One is Delight Dish, a sit-down Polish-style restaurant, that is opening at the former animal hospital property on Route 6. The other business is an ice-cream shop, Teresa Mae's Sweets, which will open at a former bank building on Route 6.

Petrick said the Delight Dish restaurant project has garnered a lot of interest in the Channahon community. The project has taken longer than expected, however, because the owner had to replace the flooring and completely gut the inside of the building.

Overall, Petrick said Channahon has a lot of commercial projects underway or about to start.

The village is also watching to see what transpires with the vacant Ivo's Family Restaurant property, which is prime commercial real estate right off Interstate 55 at the Route 6 exit.

Patch had a story about the Ivo's property being for sale earlier this month.

Of course, Channahon's biggest announcement came earlier this month when village officials celebrated Amazon's decision to build a new 1 million-square-foot fulfillment center in the village. The fulfillment center should bring 500 permanent jobs to Channahon.

Petrick said that Amazon wants to have the new facility open in the fall of 2020. The new Amazon building will go east of Interstate 55 and Bluff Road near the Whirlpool distribution center in Joliet.