Trustees on board with plans for 510 Winnetka Ave., which will include an Oberweis by year’s end

The largest commercial real-estate owner along the North Shore scooped up the approval it needed to move forward with its plan to sweeten a portion of Winnetka Avenue.

Winnetka’s Village Council during its Tuesday, May 20 meeting approved a certificate of appropriateness for exterior building alterations at 510 Winnetka Ave., the site that will soon be home to a new Oberweis Ice Cream and Dairy store.

Approval from the council follows a request from Hoffmann Real Estate to make a series of changes to the current building. Those changes, as summarized by Winnetka officials Tuesday night, include updates to lighting, changes to the current doors and windows, refurbished awning frames and the installation of new signage.

As first reported by The Record earlier this year, Hoffmann Commercial announced in December of 2024 that it had acquired the building at 510 Winnetka. As part of the same public statement, Hoffmann also said it had a pending deal to acquire 530 Winnetka Ave. as well.

Representatives from the notable local real estate company confirmed during the May 20 meeting that Hoffmann does now have ownership of the property at 530 Winnetka Ave. The company’s ownership of the property will be a key part in its parking plans for the new ice cream store.

Jenn Epstein, a senior property manager with Hoffmann, told the council that Oberweis guests will have exclusive use of the parking spaces at 530 Winnetka Ave. after 6 p.m. Patrons will also be able to use the nearby parking spaces at the 7-Eleven on 86-88 Green Bay Road, a property that Hoffmann also owns.

The one-story building at 530 Winnetka is currently home to medical offices. Epstein told the council that most of the doctors who practice out of that building are planning to retire in the near future, adding that Hoffmann brokered a two-year leaseback of the spaces when it took ownership.

According to plans submitted to the village, the Oberweis store will occupy a portion of the first floor of the existing three-story multifamily building that currently sits on the southwest intersection of Brier Street and Winnetka Avenue. The space used to house Shabahang Royal Carpet, which closed sometime in 2024.

Winnetka’s Design Review Board recommended approval of the proposal via a 4-1 vote during its mid-April consideration of Hoffmann’s plans.

Scott Mangum, Winnetka’s new community development director, noted that some residents expressed concern about the new use attracting more people to the site. Mangum, when asked by the council, confirmed that the proposed use is allowed by right in this zoning district.

Jennifer Peterson, vice president of marketing for Oberweis, could not provide an exact opening for the new Winnetka location but did tell The Record after the meeting that the business is looking to open “as soon as possible” and confirmed that will be in 2025.

Winnetka trustees were unanimous in their support of the proposed building alterations.

“I think it’s a nice addition to that corner,” trustee Bridget Orsic said.

In May 2024, Hoffmann Commercial acquired Oberweis Dairy, the iconic Illinois brand that filed for bankruptcy protections in April, The Record reported.

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