The international burger chain Shake Shack is going to open its Madison location, despite COVID-19.
The burger, hot dog, custard and shake chain will be at Hilldale Shopping Center in a location that for 10 years was the Neapolitan-style pizza restaurant Cafe Porta Alba.
Shake Shack's request for a liquor license will be introduced to the Madison City Council on Tuesday. The application shows an anticipated opening date of Oct. 5 and hours from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day.
The location at 558 N. Midvale Blvd. has about 2,800-square feet of space inside and an additional 775 square feet of patio space, according to the application. It shows a capacity of 54 indoors and 49 outdoors.
The first Shake Shack in Wisconsin opened in late 2017 in Milwaukee's Third Ward. The Hilldale location will be the second.
Shake Shack was founded in 2004 in New York City by Danny Meyer, one of the biggest names in the restaurant industry. Meyer founded some of New York City's top restaurants, including Gramercy Tavern, The Modern, Maialino and Union Square Cafe.
Last year, Shake Shack's Kristyn Clark said there were more than 250 locations globally across 16 countries, with 170 Shake Shacks in 27 U.S. states. Clark didn't respond to recent emails.
The company doesn't franchise, according to its website.
Shake Shack's website says that as it continues to deal with coronavirus, some locations may be closed temporarily or operating with adjusted hours.
A dozen U.S. Shake Shacks, mostly in airports, are temporarily closed during COVID-19 restrictions, according to the website. Most Shake Shacks remain open for curbside pickup and third-party delivery.
Public outrage was sparked in April when Shake Shack and other national restaurant chains applied and qualified for Paycheck Protection Program loans through the Small Business Administration.Â
Soon after, Meyer wrote on the Shake Shack website that the chain was "able to access the additional capital we needed to ensure our long-term stability through an equity transaction in the public markets."
He said he was thankful for that, and "decided to immediately return the entire $10 million PPP loan we received ... so that those restaurants who need it most can get it now."