It's the end of an era in Avondale, as Bill Kim announced to the Tribune that he's consolidating his beloved ramen shop Urban Belly with the space on Randolph Street that currently houses the BellyQ takeout window. A result of Kim's updated deal with Cornerstone Restaurant Group, who co-owns BellyQ, Cornerstone now holds a stake in Kim's other projects as well. Urban Belly will close October 20 and reopen a week later in the new location.

Urban Belly was a cultish destination since the day it opened over five years ago, with lines forming outside to grab a space at one of the 32 communal seats inside the strip mall storefront. Kim tells the Trib that Urban Belly outgrew the space and is "growing up and graduating and moving on." The new location will have twice as many seats and an expanded menu.

It will be interesting to see whether the same clientele and atmosphere will exist at the new space next to its trendy younger sibling.

· Urban Belly, Chicago ramen forefather, to relocate to Randolph Street [Tribune]

· All Urban Belly Coverage [-ECHI-]

· All Bill Kim Coverage [-ECHI-]

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