FOMO, an innovative and first-of-its-kind dining experience, has popped up at Northbrook Court for a limited time only.
What’s in a name? When it comes to FOMO, a recent addition to the English language lexicon in the family of LOL and BRB, an acronym can truly spring to life.
Melinda Holland, SVP of Business Development at GGP, the owners and operators of Northbrook Court, explains how these four letters came to represent the newest project at their North Shore shopping center: “The name FOMO was chosen for the acronym—‘Fear of Missing Out’ on something exciting that is happening,” she shares. “This is our vision for FOMO: an innovative dining experience with a twist, where different restaurants will rotate through the space. This is a new concept that has never been done before and was designed specifically for Chicagoans.”
Managing over 100 regional shopping centers throughout the United States, Holland says that curation is an important strategy for each retail property. “We are always exploring ways to bring new uses and experiences to our shopping centers, and FOMO at Northbrook Court is a great example of this strategy.”
With this dining experience, the aim is to bring in Chicago area restaurants that do not yet have a presence outside the city, introducing new concepts to the community and giving chefs the platform to reach new customers.
FOMO’s opening weekend kicked off with Toasty Cheese, a grilled cheese restaurant by Toasty Restaurant Group. Its other concepts—Taco, BBQ, and Ice Cream—will rotate weekly. Other restaurants will rotate every two days or even daily. There will be something for everyone, but do not delay—the limited-time experience will only run for one year.
You will find the 2,200-square-foot space on the upper level of Northbrook Court, designed as a gathering place for friends and family. “It was important to create a bright, welcoming, and comfortable environment with a modern feel to it. There is nothing like this at Northbrook Court so we are very excited,” Holland notes.
“FOMO goes beyond having a traditional meal at a restaurant. It celebrates great food with a unique experience. For instance, one of the FOMO restaurants is the Blind Café, which is an award winning, stimulating pop-up dining experience. Through their dinner-in-the-dark experience, dinners not only have a fun, memorable experience, but it also allows for positive, social change through the enhanced understanding of blindness. This message resonated with us and we are excited to have them be part of the FOMO experience.”
Holland continues, “We are very proud to bring FOMO to Northbrook Court. We’ve created a space that will combine dining and entertainment, and we always strive to bring these memorable experiences to our shopping centers. We know our shoppers will embrace this.”
For more information, visit northbrookcourt.com, their Facebook page, or check out @FOMOPOPUP on Instagram.
