Vienna Beef’s former Bucktown headquarters set to reopen in 2024

Iconic Chicago-based sausage and hot dog company Vienna Beef will return to its former factory site in Bucktown along the Chicago River in 2024. The company has reportedly invested $20 million into redeveloping the location, according to Crain’s. 

The facility is currently being revamped to house the company's corporate headquarters, a restaurant, a factory store, and additional space for independent commercial offices.

Vienna Beef's revitalized 150,000-square-foot space will be dubbed "Vienna Beef Plaza." The project includes the creation of second-floor office space for 50 employees, first-floor retail space, and an outdoor plaza for events.

The company aims to bring back its store, café, and headquarters to the site that it had called home since the 1970s. The on-site restaurant is set to open in spring 2024 and will include a full line of Vienna Beef products, according to Block Club Chicago. An outdoor plaza adorned with 80 trees and a garden will provide ample space for hosting events. 

The Vienna Beef Plaza project also features a significant revamp of the old factory building at 2501 N. Damen Ave, with a new roof, upgraded interiors, and unique spaces within the precinct. 

The location will not include an official company museum, but the restaurant will feature memorabilia showcasing the company's 130-year history as a "Chicago-born and Chicago-made" enterprise. 

Ald. Scott Waguespack of the 32nd ward expressed the community's excitement for Vienna Beef's return and reinvestment in its old headquarters. “Our community is excited to see Vienna Beef reinvest in the neighborhood by adaptively reusing the original Vienna headquarters,” he said in a statement to Block Club. 

Additionally, Vienna Beef is converting the former warehouse into retail spaces, which will open in early 2024. The existing Vienna Beef factory store in Bridgeport will remain open.