Palatine officials have committed up to $54,000 in tax increment financing funds to help pay for a planned expansion of Cook, Cork & Fork in the village’s downtown.
Courtesy of John Mahler
Palatine will contribute up to $54,000 in tax increment financing funds toward the expansion of a downtown business.
The village council last week voted to provide assistance to Cook, Cork & Fork, 34 W. Palatine Road, which offers gourmet kitchenware and cooking classes. The money will come in the form of a reimbursement from the Downtown TIF District Facade & Interior Building Improvement Grant Program.
The business plans to expand into the adjacent space and reconfigure it to add a new wine bar concept called The Cork @ Cook, Cork & Fork.
John Mahler and his wife and business partner Mica Mahler opened the business in 2015.
John and Mica Mahler opened the Cook, Cork & Fork at 34 W. Palatine Road in Palatine in 2015.
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The business’ retail area offers cutlery and cookware and an array of kitchen gadgets. It also sells olive oil, balsamic vinegar, rubs, salt, herbs and dips, as well as a variety of wine and craft beer.
“As a lifelong resident of Palatine, this is my home, and I’m excited to bring this to the downtown area,” John Mahler said. “I think that we’re going to bring in some new people that might not always come to downtown Palatine.”
He said the cooking classes are drawing people from up to 28 miles outside of Palatine.
“This is going to help us stay in downtown Palatine,” he said of the planned expansion.
The TIF program was adopted in February 2023 with a budget of $450,000. Funding of $212,000 has been approved since.
Others receiving funding include: The American Legion, $6,236; Two Libras Cafe, $10,442; JL’s Pizza & Sports Bar, $50,000; Pizza Bella, $122,950; and Little Broken Things, $22,250.
“This is the perfect example of what this program was intended to do,” Mayor Jim Schwantz said.
