Entire Larkin Avenue Strip Mall Remains Vacant In Joliet

JOLIET, IL — You can see signs of redevelopment along Jefferson Street and Larkin Avenue. Amigeaux's opened at the old Arby's restaurant. Contractors are converting the former Boston Market into a Pop's Italian Beef restaurant. The IHOP on Larkin Avenue was recently bulldozed to make way for a Portillo's Pickup restaurant, one that will feature a triple drive-thru.

Another stretch of Larkin Avenue remains a different story. At 213 South Larkin Avenue, an entire business plaza is now empty.

The most recent tenant to close was the Super JJ Fish & Chicken. JJ's wasn't the only business that didn't make it. There are numerous signs posted throughout the empty Joliet plaza alerting people to call Mario Gullo of the George Gullo Development Corporation for more information about leasing commercial space.

The empty storefronts range in size from 1,532 square feet of space to 3,300 square feet of space.

On the plus side, there are two fast-food restaurants operating on the adjacent lots along Larkin Avenue.

One is a Steak-N-Shake restaurant, and the other is a Culver's. On the downside, directly across the street from the empty Super JJ Fish & Chicken is the empty Gulf Express at 212 South Larkin Ave.

Last September, the Joliet City Council voted to make the former Gulf gas station a public nuisance.

Do you think the empty Larkin Avenue business plaza will make a comeback? What kind of businesses could work here? Post your comments at the bottom of this article or on the Joliet Patch Facebook page.