Health food restaurant Protein Bar may soon replace athletic apparel store Lululemon Athletica in downtown Evanston.

City Council must grant Protein Bar a special use permit before the business can open at 1622 Sherman Ave. Aldermen voted Monday night to introduce the restaurant’s application and are expected to approve it at their next meeting, Sept. 9.

Protein Bar specializes in on-the-go health food and has nine locations in the Chicago area. Founder and owner Matt Matros said he has received requests “since Day 1” to open a North Shore franchise.

“We thought there would be no place better than … the city of Evanston,” he said.

Matros said Lululemon will move to Westfield Old Orchard Mall in Skokie.

Ald. Don Wilson (4th) said he hopes Lululemon can return to Evanston in the future.

“At the request of a number of my constituents, I just would like to encourage our economic development team to continue efforts to get Lululemon back in Evanston because I’ve heard a lot of disappointment about the closure of that business,” he said.

— Ciara McCarthy