NEWS  RELEASE

The Arboretum of South Barrington to Welcome the Opening of Crème de la Crème

Also Nozumi Japanese Cuisine & Amazing Gracie’s Now Open

SOUTH BARRINGTON, Ill. (July 23, 2009) – The Arboretum of South Barrington welcomes the opening of Crème de la Crème, one of the most prominent providers of early childhood learning in the US. On Aug. 1 and 2, the 21,000-square foot Victorian-style facility will hold an open house celebration at the 600,000 square-foot town center located in Chicago’s northwest suburbs. Michael Jaffe, developer of The Arboretum along with RREEF, also announced the recent opening of two other tenants.

CRÈME DE LA CRÈME: The public is invited to Crème de la Crème's open house held Aug. 1-2, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. both days. Events will include free children's activities and crafts, plus giveaways of Eric Carle storybooks, in addition to holding several prize drawings. Tours will also be offered of the campus, which is located, on the west side of the property (guests would utilize the entry off Bartlett Road). “We’re pleased to have local businesses and families come out and see what we’re about,” says Crème CEO Bruce Karpas. “The best way to understand how unique this campus is, is to tour it.”

The two-story Victorian village, housed under a 32-foot skylight, has space for approximately 300 children. Teachers, placed in a low student/teacher ratio, are supported by a team that includes aides, a kitchen manager, housekeepers, support personnel, and management. Amenities include a library, computer lab, gymnasium, outside basketball court, kid-sized tennis courts and soccer fields, dance studio, music room, art studio, classrooms for math, science, and foreign language, a television studio for in-house KREM-TV, and two playgrounds including a trike garage – all embellished by extensive security measures. A water park is scheduled to open later in the year.

While this is the private Colorado company's sixth campus in Chicagoland, it is the first campus in the region that is integrated within a lifestyle center. Mr. Jaffe says bringing Crème to The Arboretum of South Barrington is particularly exciting because the outparcel tenant allows the center to extend its offerings beyond retail, dining and entertainment, further becoming more of a community center. “Parents will be able to drop off their child at Crème, then utilize the various offerings throughout The Arboretum, before picking up their little one later that day. It’s a good pairing of amenities.” He added that Crème, together with the new gymnastics center MEGA, which opened at the center last March, is filling space traditionally occupied by national retailers. “It's a good time to be creative and diversify,” he says.

Crème de la Crème offers full-time and part-time preschool programs for children ages six weeks through kindergarten, and after-school and summer programs for ages 6-12. Enrollment is now being accepted for this fall. For additional information, visit www.cremedelacreme.com or call (847) 852-4000.

NOZUMI JAPANESE CUISINE: In late June, Nozumi Japanese Cuisine opened the doors of its 6,836 square feet stylishly inviting space which includes two distinctively different dining rooms -- one lively and upbeat with chefs preparing your meals at a sleek sushi bar -- the other subdued and rich in ambiance and textures. In addition, there’s a lavishly appointed tatami room, outdoor dining, and a vibrant bar scene. The menu items are artful presentations in themselves. Executive Sushi Chef Andy Park and his team have developed a menu around the tapas-style of dining, with portions that are perfect for sharing and exploring different tastes. Hot and cold “small plates” feature such items as Taiyou short ribs braised in soy-ginseng, with mushroom sushi rice risotto, kabocha and Asian pear puree, turnip and radish. The sushi menu includes Nozumi signature rolls and nigiri/sashimi. Imagine a Scallop Uzume Roll, with Yuzu and apple-marinated scallop with cucumber, tomato, red onion, cilantro, toasted sea salt and sesame seeds, in a nori/cucumber-cilantro salad and mango yogurt sauce. Specials might include embellishments of steak or lobster. Desserts, espresso, wine, cocktails, sake, and unique saketinis round out the fare for a full dining experience well beyond the typical sushi bar. For more information on Nozumi Japanese Cuisine, visit www.nozumirestaurant.com or call (847) 783.5995.

AMAZING GRACIE’S: Also recently opened is Amazing Gracie’s Children’s Shoppe, an independent boutique offering quality children’s clothing, newborn through size 16. The 1,586 square-foot store established its first store in Barrington in 1995 when single mother Kelly Ransom wanted to support her three young ones by providing unique, colorful and comfortable clothing for children. She had the idea that if children can feel good about how they look, they will be more confident and able to express themselves more fully. Brands carried range from Barefoot Dreams and English Roses to Little Giraffe, Monkey Wear, and Trish Scully. For more information on Amazing Gracie’s visit www.amazinggraciesshoppe.com or call (847) 304-1170.

The Arboretum of South Barrington is a 600,000 square-foot retail town center in Chicago’s affluent northwest suburbs that opened in September 2008. The open-air center is named for the lush treescapes and gardens, and for the large tree farm that formerly stood on the site. Among retailers at The Arboretum of South Barrington are three unique anchors, including LL.Bean’s first Midwest outdoor gear and apparel store; the country’s first Village Roadshow Gold Class Cinemas, a luxury cinema experience and new way to go to the movies; and Pinstripes, Chicago’s own bowling, bocce and bistro concept. An upscale mix of fashion apparel brands, home furnishings, restaurants and other retailers will occupy spaces set amidst fountains, pathways and plazas  -- all less than a mile from the four-way interchange at I-90 (the region’s major transportation artery), at the highly coveted intersection of Illinois Routes 59 and 72. The center is a joint venture between The Jaffe Companies in Northbrook, Ill., and RREEF Alternative Investments, based in New York.

The Jaffe Companies, developer with RREEF of The Arboretum of South Barrington, has been developing successful shopping centers and mixed-use projects for nearly three decades across the US, primarily in the Midwest. Firm principal Michael Jaffe has been involved in several notable projects, including Huebner Oaks Center, a 400,000-square-foot lifestyle center in San Antonio, Texas; Geneva Commons, a 450,000-square-foot lifestyle center in Geneva, Ill; and The Arboretum Shopping Center in Austin, Texas.

RREEF Alternative Investments, the financial partner in developing The Arboretum of South Barrington, is the global alternative investment management business of Deutsche Bank’s Asset Management division. RREEF Alternative Investments consists of three businesses: Real Estate, Infrastructure and Private Equity. Headquartered in New York, RREEF Alternative Investments employs more than 1,400 investment professionals in 17 cities around the world to help investors meet a wide range of objectives – from diversification, to preservation of capital, to long-term performance. Named one of the world’s largest alternative investments managers in Global Investor/Watson Wyatt’s Alternative Survey, June 2008, RREEF has €55.2/$87.0 billion in assets under management worldwide as of June 30th, 2008. For more information, visit www.rreef.com.

WEB LINKS:
The Arboretum of South Barrington: www.shopthearboretumsb.com

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The Arboretum of South Barrington

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