“Palace Grill is officially on the market.

“Two years after a fire swept through the 80-year-old West Side diner at 1408 W. Madison St., its owner has put it up for sale for an undisclosed amount, confirmed broker Scott Maesal, managing director of SVN Chicago Commercial.

“Maesal told Block Club that Palace Grill owner owner George Lemperis was ready to sell the 19,000-square-foot building.

“‘I think it was just timing, more than anything. This is his retirement,’ said Maesal, whose firm was hired by Lemperis.

“Speculation swirled about the possibility of Lemperis reopening Palace Grill in the months following the February 2024 blaze. The restaurant later said that a lightning strike caused the fire. While Lemperis attempted to negotiate with his insurance company, a crowdsourcing campaign created to help the restaurant rebound netted nearly $49,000.

“Palace Grill is now up for sale as plans for a $7 billion redevelopment initiative targeting the Near West Side take shape. Dubbed the 1901 Project, the plan will transform 55 acres of land around the United Center into a sprawling campus with music venues, retail, hotels, green space and affordable housing. The Palace Grill building is about four blocks from the United Center

“The site is being marketed as a redevelopment opportunity, according to Crain’s Chicago. Current zoning would allow for a low to mid-rise building with 25-27 condos or 50- 55 apartments, Maesel said.

“’I think someone will find this attractive, because over the next five years, billions of dollars will be put into the United Center and the 1901 plan,’ Maesal said.” (Nesbitt Golden, Block Club Chicago, 2/5/26)

“It thrived when Madison Street was home to tony nightclubs, and survived riots when the area was was regarded as ‘skid row.’ The eatery also went 30 years without ever closing its doors once — back when it was open 24 hours a day

“‘Seventy-five years in business is really an honor for any business, let alone a restaurant,’ said owner George Lemperis, 65. ‘There’s a lot of history here. It’s a cool place.’

“‘In 1938, Madison Street was the Rush Street of Chicago,’ Lemperis explained. ‘All the clubs were here, and people would come from all over the world to come to these clubs.’

“It became known as the Palace Grill in 1950 and has been in the Lemperis family since 1955, back when a customer could buy a hamburger for just $10 cents.

“George Lemperis’ great-uncle and cousins — George, Mike and Gus Alpogianis — originally ran the restaurant, and it’s since been handed down from generation to generation. George and his father, Pete, took over in 1978 and operated for years with no menus.”

“His daughter Christina, a recent graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, plans to represent the fourth generation to run the family business.

“Her plans include expanding the catering and private event side of the business, and possibly getting their famous hash browns carried in grocery stores. But the friendly scene at the Palace Grill won’t ever change, she added.

“‘People come here when they’re stressed out. If you have a bad day, you go to the Palace,’ she said. ‘People come here to feel better.’” (Pazderski, DNAinfo, 2/11/2013)

Read the full story at Block Club Chicago and DNAinfo

• Palace Grill Up For Sale 2 Years After Fire Forced Its Closure; The Palace Grill property is being marketed as a redevelopment opportunity, signaling the end of the iconic 80-year-old restaurant near the United Center, Jamie Nesbitt Golden, Block Club Chicago, 2/5/26
• Longtime Blackhawks hangout Palace Grill for sale as redevelopment opportunity, Rachel Herzog, Crain’s Chicago Business, 2/4/26
• Palace Grill on Near West Side is damaged in small fire; The restaurant sustained “extensive” damage and the blaze was put out after firefighters cut a hole in the roof, a Chicago Fire Department spokesman said, Kade Heather, Chicago Sun-Times, 2/9/24
• Palace Grill owner vows fire won’t be final chapter for historic West Side eatery that’s fed Blackhawks, big shots and beat cops, Owner George Lemperis said Friday the damage was extensive but that he plans to reopen: “They rebuilt the World Trade Center. I can certainly rebuild this.”, David Struett and Kade Heather, Chicago Sun-Times, 2/9/24
• Fundraiser is launched to rebuild Palace Grill after damaging fire; A Blackhawks fan and longtime customer set a goal of $15,000, saying, “It’s time to pull together and rally around the Palace Grill.” Kade Heather, Chicago Sun-Times, 2/13/24
• Palace Grill Fundraiser Looks To Help Staff, Owner After Beloved Diner Damaged In Fire; A longtime customer started the fundraiser, hoping to raise $15,000 to help rebuild after the “extensive” damage, Melody Mercado, Block Club Chicago, 2/13/24
• Help the Iconic Palace Grill Rebuild From Fire GoFundMe page
• Palace Grill to Celebrate 75 Years of Slinging Breakfast and Burgers, JoAnne Pazderski, DNAinfo, 2/11/2013
• Palace Grill Closed After ‘Extensive’ Damage From Fire; The restaurant, which is near the United Center, has been open since 1938 and has been a go-to spot for Blackhawks fans before games — and has also been popular with players, Kelly Bauer, Block Club Chicago, 2/9/24
• Beloved Palace Grill restaurant closed after suffering ‘extensive’ damage in fire; The Palace Grill, located blocks away from the United Center, has been a staple on the Near West Side for 86 years,NBC Chicago / Sun-Times, 2/9/24