Blaze Pizza, a California-based franchise with 250 shops around the country, is seeking to open a restaurant in the former U.S. Cellular space at 1737 Sherman Ave. in Evanston.
Owner Adam Cummis told the city’s Site Plan and Appearance Review Committee recently that Blaze can turn out individual 11-inch artisanal pizzas in six to seven minutes for under $8.
He said the serving style is similar to a Chipotle restaurant — customers walk down the aisle to choose their ingredients.
The 1,800 square foot restaurant will have 38 seats and Cummis anticipates having at total of 30 employees with about 10 on duty at any given time.
The restaurant does not plan to offer delivery service but may later request a sidewalk cafe.
Blaze Pizza has one metro area location now, on Belmont Avenue in Chicago, with others planned for the Presidential Tower in downtown Chicago and at Old Orchard in Skokie.
1737 Sherman Ave., in an image from Google Maps.
The committee unanimously recommended approval of the special use permit the restaurant requires. The proposal still requires review by the Zoning Board of Appeals and approval from the City Council