Maple Hospitality Group is spreading its wings beyond the Windy City, planting its upscale dining experience in the heart of New York City. The Chicago restaurant group, known for its glitzy steakhouse Maple & Ash, is set to open a new eatery in Manhattan. The property? None other than a 12,000 square-foot space in a Trump-backed building at 1290 Sixth Avenue at West 51st Street in Midtown, as reported by Eater.
While details of the New York venture remain under wraps, it's clear that expansion is the name of the game for Maple Hospitality Group. Chef-partner Danny Grant hinted at the company's grand vision in a statement obtained by Crain's, saying "It's been in the works for a long time, and now it's just getting to the point where all the dominoes are starting to fall in place and you'll start to see a lot of our new restaurants popping up around the country." This would not be Maple Hospitality Group's first foray outside Illinois; they already have a presence in Scottsdale, Arizona, and eye Miami, Boston, and Santa Barbara as part of their aggressive expansion plan for the upcoming year.
President Donald Trump remains a significant stakeholder with a 30 percent interest in the 1290 Avenue of Americas building, a detail noted by the New York Post. The building already houses a mix of eateries, ranging from fast-casual cafes to chain restaurants. Last year, the building's developer, Vornado, saw to the redevelopment of the Penn One complex nearby, suggesting an ongoing transformation for this part of Midtown.
Maple Hospitality Group's expansion plans also include the launch of a private membership club that offers over-the-top services. According to Crain's, "Membership will grant VIP access to all MHG restaurants, along with concierge services from the team’s top curators," promising an exclusive experience with perks such as "five-star catering and staffing for over-the-top events, airport transfer direct to their concepts, a helicopter experience through Miami, or wine trips to the South of France curated by the group's lauded sommeliers."
The journey to New York comes amidst previous legal challenges for the Maple Hospitality Group back home in Chicago. The group has weathered lawsuits, including one where "estranged investors" accused co-founder Jim Lasky of misusing Payment Protection Plan funds, allegations he dismissed as "a frivolous and vexatious lawsuit" in a statement to the Eater. Still, these setbacks haven't stymied the group's appetite for growth, with New York City as its next big bite.
