"Salutos has been so much more than a restaurant — it has been a part of our family and, we hope, a part of yours."
That line comes from the Salutos family and staff, posted ahead of the restaurant's final weekend at 7680 Grand Ave. in September after 36 years. The Daily Herald reported that the property had been sold. The kitchen had been working through its inventory in the final weeks, but the famous house dressing was still on offer.
Two months earlier and farther along the same road, Mariano's closed its store at 6655 Grand Ave. on July 17.
At 6170 W. Grand Ave., meanwhile, crews have been turning part of the former Sears Grand into an IKEA.
Put those three addresses side by side and a pattern shows up. Nearly every new name coming to Grand Avenue this fall is going inside Gurnee Mills. The two long-running places that left were outside the mall, and as of early October, no one has publicly named what replaces either one.
Two Buildings, No Announced Next Chapter
Mariano's opened in Gurnee in July 2014, taking over the former Dominick's between Almond and Hunt Club roads. When it closed, it had been there 12 years. A Kroger spokesperson told the Daily Herald the closure was part of "a larger companywide decision to run more efficiently." That's the same reason the company gave when it closed its Buffalo Grove, Bloomingdale and Glenview stores in August 2025. Village officials said at the time they had no details beyond the closing date.
The Salutos sale was announced by the family and staff in late August. The Daily Herald's report doesn't name a buyer or say what the building will become.
The village's public agenda doesn't fill that gap either. The new business items on the October 5, 2026 Village Board agenda don't mention either property or any redevelopment proposal for them.
For now, a former grocery and a former restaurant sit on the corridor with their futures unannounced. I'm not going to guess at what comes next. When a plan for either building is filed, the village board and planning agendas are where it will show up first.
The Old Sears Box Gets a Smaller IKEA
The largest addition on Grand Avenue is going into a space that already held a department store. According to the Daily Herald's August 25 report, the Gurnee IKEA covers 66,000 square feet. That's well short of the full-size IKEA stores in Schaumburg and Bolingbrook. It will be the company's third Illinois location and uses a newer format.
The format affects what you can take home the same day. The store is set up to show more than 5,000 products, with full planning services for kitchens, wardrobes, living rooms and storage. On-site stock focuses on home accessories and small furniture, with delivery or free in-store pickup. The entrance is in Parking Lot B, next to Hobby Lobby.
The village helped make it happen. Gurnee offered $2 million in incentives to bring IKEA in. The store is expected to generate $2.9 million in sales tax over six years, leaving the village about $900,000 ahead, per the Daily Herald.
That math helps explain the contrast with the two closed buildings. The village had a direct financial reason to fill the old Sears space. Nothing comparable has been announced for 6655 or 7680 Grand Ave.
The opening date is still open. As of early October, Simon's IKEA page for Gurnee Mills lists store hours as "Coming Soon." The mall's announcement says "Fall 2026" and tells shoppers to stay tuned for grand-opening details.
Entry by Entry, the Rest of the Mills Lineup
The Daily Herald calls Gurnee Mills the state's third-largest mall. Its August announcement placed each new tenant by entrance, which helps if you park by habit. Here's where things stand, based on the Lake and McHenry County Scanner's tenant report and the Daily Herald:
Already open, per the August roundup
- Abuela's
- AJ's Putt 'N' Play
- Chocolate Moonshine Co.
- Rally House, near Center Court. A June preview had projected a July 31 opening. The August report listed it as open.
Slated for September
- Fashion Q, a women's fast-fashion store, near Entry B
- Nali Jewelers, a family-owned fine jewelry store, near Entry E
Slated for October
- Toys "R" Us, near Entry A
- Archive Room, selling deadstock vintage and modern luxury pieces, near Entry C
- Sophia's Mexican Grill, serving traditional Mexican street food, in Dining Pavilion North near Entry J
Pushed to spring 2027
- Sky Zone trampoline park, near Entry J, with private party rooms and a Fuel Zone for food and refreshments. The Scanner reported the opening moved from summer to spring.
The October dates are forecasts from August, not confirmed openings. Simon's coming-soon listing still showed Toys "R" Us, Archive Room and Sophia's as upcoming, and none of the sources gave a specific opening day. Entry J is worth watching. Once Sophia's and Sky Zone are both open, that side of the mall will have food and a family activity in one spot.
The Civic Calendar Stays on Old Grand Avenue
The new stores are clustering at the Mills, but Gurnee's public events this fall are spread out elsewhere. Most are on Old Grand Avenue, with Great America running its own season on the side. In date order:
- Through November 1: Six Flags Great America, 1 Great America Parkway, runs Fright Fest on select nights, with new attractions called "Blair Witch: No Signal" and "Nightmares." Oktoberfest runs on select dates in the same window, and Kids Boo Fest runs Saturdays and Sundays.
- Saturday, October 10, 1 to 4 p.m.: The Gurnee Park District's Great Boo Quest at Viking Park, 4374 Old Grand Ave., with a scavenger hunt, hayride, pumpkin patch and costume contest. The event page lists per-child fees in one place and calls it free in another, so check with the district before you go.
- Friday, October 16, 7 to 11 p.m.: Bonfire & Brews, on the village's special events calendar.
- Saturday, October 17, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.: The fall Styrofoam recycling event.
- Saturday, October 31, 2 to 5 p.m.: Village trick-or-treat hours.
- Saturday, November 7, 9 a.m. to noon: Pumpkin composting.
- Saturday, November 14, 8 a.m. to noon: The Gurnee Fire Department's fall blood drive.
- Friday, November 20: Holiday Lights at Welton Plaza, 4555 Old Grand Ave., with light displays, food, crafts and a food-pantry collection. The detail page lists 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and the main calendar lists 5 to 7 p.m., so confirm closer to the date.
- Thursday, November 26, 8 to 9 a.m.: The Turkey Trot.
- Saturday, November 28: Small Business Saturday.
Viking Park and Welton Plaza both sit on Old Grand Avenue. Between October 10 and November 20, that street hosts both bookends of the village's fall season, while the retail news happens out at the Mills on West Grand.
What Gets Answered Before Thanksgiving
Several open questions should get answers in the next few weeks. IKEA's grand-opening date is the big one, and Simon has said details are coming. Toys "R" Us, Archive Room and Sophia's will either open in October as forecast or quietly slide, and the mall's coming-soon page is the quickest place to check. Watch Village Board and Planning & Zoning agendas for any filing involving 6655 Grand Ave. or 7680 Grand Ave., since a new use for either building would most likely show up there first.
Until then, the old Dominick's and Mariano's building and the Salutos building have no named next tenant.
When a long-running place closes or a big new store comes in, it's fair to ask whether that changes how a nearby house is valued. I follow corridor changes like these on Grand Avenue so the answer rests on actual comparable sales instead of guesswork. If you'd like to talk through what this fall's openings and closings might mean for your own property, Ursula Bowes is happy to walk through it with you. Let's Connect.
