Chicago-based Portillo's Hot Dogs has opened its first ever Wisconsin location.
The doors opened at its new restaurant, near Calhoun Rd. and Bluemound Rd. in Brookfield, at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Mayor Steve Ponto said the new restaurant is the latest example of exciting development happening along Bluemound Road.
"All of our communities, throughout the country, are really trying to attract first rate businesses," Ponto said.
Ponto thinks Brookfield was an attractive location for Portillo's because of its affluent population.
"We have a lot of people here who are successful," the Mayor said. "They're willing to spend money, and to patronize new businesses. I think there was a lot of pent up demand from the recession and that's really being unleashed now."
Dick Portillo, the restaurant's founder, said he's enthused about the new restaurant's proximity to residential areas, as well as office buildings and retail stores.
"The key to a successful restaurant a lot of times is location," Portillo said.
Portillo also said the company wanted to open in Wisconsin because its people are very familiar with the restaurant. He said the company had "thousands" of requests to open in the Badger State.
"I'm extremely excited," said Tim Michalski, who showed up at 7:15 a.m. to wait in line ahead of Portillo's opening its doors.
Michalski took the day off from work to bring his two daughters to the grand opening. He moved to Brookfield from the Chicago area in 1978.
"It's really bringing a taste of my youth, and reminding me of growing up in Chicacago and the foods I was used to eating," he said.
