Lake in the Hills Considers Liquor License for Stella's Gaming Cafe

The Lake in the Hills Committee of the Whole on Tuesday reviewed what was described as a "hybrid" liquor license for the proposed Stella's Place gaming cafe. 

Village Board members are expected to vote on the newly created liquor license category at their regular board meeting at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 25, at the LITH Village Hall, 600 Harvest Gate, Lake in the Hills. 

Described as a "Class A-2," the liquor license would carry the same restrictions for alcohol serving hours as other licenses. However, the variation would require that 50 percent of Stella's sales be from non-alcoholic beverages and food.

Also, the cafe would not be permitted to have exterior signs advertising that gambling and alcohol were housed inside.

Laredo Hospitality Ventures, which currently operates a Stella's Place in Hoffman Estates, is looking to open a Lake in the Hills gaming cafe in the former WineStyles location at 319 N. Randall Road. The strip mall is home to Starbucks and Funky Munky.

Stella's Place cafe would serve breakfast, appetizers, sandwiches, a selection of coffee drinks, wine and beer. It would offer video gaming, but the state would operate the machines, turning them on and off according to permitted gaming hours.

Charity Johns, vice president of operations for Laredo's, told village board members Tuesday the company expects a customer stream similar to a "Noodles" restaurant. 

"We expect the ebb and flow of about 10 to 15 people at one time," Johns said. "It'll be like a cafe. People will come and go, stop by before a movie." 

Johns said the cafe proposal meets the necessary standards for parking. Village code bases parking standards on the square-footage of the business. The former Wine Styles location necessitates 66 parking spaces, and the lot provides 72 spaces, she said. 

Patch Editor Amie Schaenzer contributed to this article.