This is directly from the official Trader Vic’s News Page, so it’s safe to assume it’s credible:

For the fans of the old Trader Vic’s in the Chicago Palmer House Hilton, it has been a long agonizing wait, but at long last, this October, the “new” Trader Vic’s Chicago will open its doors. The latest addition to the Trader Vic’s family of franchises is being designed by the same team that brought the old Dallas location back to breathtaking life in 2006. Tikiphiles and Trader Vic’s Chicago devotees will appreciate that many artifacts from the Palmer House restaurant have been preserved for this new location. We can’t wait to see the finished result! 

My reaction: !!!

I will definitely be asking James Teitelbaum about this when I see him tomorrow. He’s leading a Tiki Drinks Seminar at Sam’s.

Last week I strolled by 1030 N. State, where the new Trader Vic’s is going to be. I peered in the windows but didn’t see any construction going on. Hmm. Mysterious. The great news is that it’s quite close to my new job, so I can stop by often to see how it’s progressing. And of course its proximity will be quite advantageous once it’s open. Many, many happy hours ahead of us …