Is the rest of the Midwest ready for Rockford, Illinois, favorite Beefaroo?

Ken DeCoster, Rockford Register Star
·2 min read
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Beefaroo, 2538 Auburn St., is pictured here on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2020, in Rockford.
Beefaroo, 2538 Auburn St., is pictured here on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2020, in Rockford.

ROCKFORD — The locally-based fast-casual restaurant chain that bills itself as “famously delicious” is on the verge of opening stores in four Midwest states outside of Illinois.

Beefaroo plans to open locations in Manhattan and Overland Park, Kansas; Essexville, Mt. Pleasant and Rose City, Michigan; Kearney and Cross Creek, Missouri and Lebanon, Indiana, according to the company’s website.

Those restaurant sites are all listed as "Coming soon" although no specific opening dates are given.

NEXT Brands and Development, a strategic manager and growth accelerator of franchise brands, acquired the franchising rights to Beefaroo in 2021 and plans to grow the chain to as many as 50 restaurants in the Midwest and Southeast within three to five years, according to RestaurantNews.com.

More:New owners could make Rockford-based restaurant Beefaroo a household name nationwide

Construction continues on Beefaroo’s new restaurant at 1680 N. Alpine Road, which will be the company’s fourth location within the city of Rockford.

Beefaroo brand leader Dawn Durkin said the company is projecting a mid-December opening for its new Rockford restaurant.

In addition to its current Rockford locations at 3401 S. Alpine Road, 2538 Auburn St., and 6593 Lexus Drive, Beefaroo has restaurants at 6380 E. Riverside Blvd. and 6116 N. 2nd St. in Loves Park; 4601 Adamson Lane in Machesney Park and 5109 Rock Rose Court in Roscoe.

Beefaroo added a store in West Dundee in 2021.

Dave DeBruler and Jean Vitale, who were married at the time, founded Beefaroo in 1967 with a Western theme and a menu that focused on sliced to order hot beef sandwiches.

The menu expanded as did the number of restaurant locations in the area.

In 2007, DeBruler and Vitale’s four children purchased the business from their parents and maintained its standing in the community.

Ken DeCoster covers business news and features. Contact him at 815-987-1391, kdecoster@rrstar.com or @DeCosterKen. 

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Is the rest of the Midwest ready for Rockford favorite Beefaroo?