Latest news with #BenVanLeeuwen
Time Out
17-06-2025
- Business
- Time Out
Van Leeuwen will be scooping $1 ice cream in Back Bay this week
A longtime favorite of New York City, Van Leeuwen Ice Cream—which began as a mere food truck in 2008 before growing into a nationwide parlor chain—made a sweet first impression on Bostonians when it opened its first Beantown location in April 2024, at 55 Boylston Street in Chestnut Hill. Little more than a year later and there are already three more scoop shops in the greater commonwealth, in the Seaport (70 Pier 4 Blvd), in Harvard Square (1 Brattle Sq) and in Wellesley (180 Linden St). And there's deliciously more where that came from. Two more Boston-based locations will soon join their brethren to expand the chain's chilly presence in Massachusetts: Van Leeuwen will open its latest location on Wednesday, June 18 in Back Bay at 400 Newbury Street, to be followed very shortly thereafter by yet another outpost in Fenway, at 86 Van Ness Street, on Friday, June 20. And what better way to celebrate than with some free frozen treats? To commemorate the Back Bay opening this Wednesday, ice cream lovers can enjoy $1 scoops from noon to 2 p.m. And if you get there on the earlier side, you may be one of the lucky 100 first customers to receive a free Van Leeuwen-branded tote bag. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Van Leeuwen Ice Cream (@vanleeuwenicecream) 'We're so happy to continue growing in the Boston area and bring Van Leeuwen to the Back Bay and Fenway neighborhoods just in time for summer,' said Ben Van Leeuwen, CEO and co-founder of Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, per Patch. Following its grand opening, the Back Bay location will be open from Sunday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to midnight. Its sister shop on Van Ness Street will be open a little later, in case you get those midnight ice-cream munchies: the Fenway outpost will be open from Sunday to Thursday
Business Journals
11-06-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
Cava, Van Leeuwen, Mendocino Farms to join Willis Tower food-hall tenant lineup
Story Highlights Willis Tower's Catalog food hall adds three new restaurants to its lineup. Mendocino Farms and Van Leeuwen Ice Cream will make their debut in the Chicago market. Willis Tower's appraised value has declined to $1.03 billion. Several new restaurants will be moving into the Willis Tower later this year, adding to the offerings at one of downtown's premier food halls. Catalog at Willis Tower — a 300,000 square-foot, five-story dining, retail and entertainment offering that opened at the base of the tower in 2022 — will be adding three eateries to its lineup. Cava, a Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant, signed the largest of the three recent leases. GET TO KNOW YOUR CITY Find Local Events Near You Connect with a community of local professionals. Explore All Events GET TO KNOW YOUR CITY Find Local Events Near You Connect with a community of local professionals. Explore All Events 'When we designed Catalog, our intention was to curate an array of offerings unique to the Loop neighborhood,' said Morgan Monroe, vice president of leasing for Perform Properties, in a statement. Perform, a Blackstone Inc. company, handles leasing and management for Willis Tower, which is owned by Blackstone. Cava, which will occupy 3,156 square feet at Chicago's tallest tower, is expected to open in late 2025. Elsewhere in Chicago, the fast-casual restaurant has a location in Wicker Park. The two other eateries — Mendocino Farms and Van Leeuwen Ice Cream — are making their debut in the Chicago market with the Willis Tower leases. "Breaking into the Midwest with Chicago as our first stop just feels right," said Ben Van Leeuwen, CEO and co-founder of Van Leeuwen, in a statement. The New York City ice cream parlor's first Chicago scoop shop will be a 1,712-square-foot space at Catalog, and it's expected to open later this summer. Mendocino Farms, a California-based sandwich and salad restaurant, will likewise be making its introduction to Chicago with its 3,012-square-foot space, which is expected to open in October. Mendocino Farms' technology at its first Chicago outfit will include its first kiosk-supported concept, providing a stop-and-go option for downtown workers. Still struggling compared to most other major U.S. cities, foot traffic at Chicago office buildings was down 44.3% in April 2025 compared to April 2019. Office landlords have been looking for new ways to bring tenants back, including through amenity offerings like retail and restaurants. A recent appraisal of Willis Tower found the value of the iconic tower has substantially declined. Its new appraised value of $1.03 billion, according to Morningstar, is a 42% drop from the tower's last appraisal in 2018, when it was appraised at $1.78 billion during a loan refinancing. Blackstone paid $1.3 billion for Willis Tower in 2015. In 2022, Blackstone completed a $500 million investment at Willis Tower, which included the addition of Catalog. Sign up for the Business Journal's free daily newsletter to receive the latest business news impacting Chicago.
