logo
Bev's closes in downtown Naperville, Effin Egg shutters after short stint

Bev's closes in downtown Naperville, Effin Egg shutters after short stint

Yahoo18-02-2025
The comings and goings of downtown Naperville continue, this time with the closure of a restaurant in a prime location off Washington Street plus the end of a local breakfast spot.
Bev's at 245 S. Washington St. closed on Dec. 7, according to Will Cullen, owner of Empire Restaurant Group, which had been operating the casual fine dining restaurant. Amid Bev's closure, Empire plans to launch a new concept in the same property as it still maintains a long-term lease in the building, Cullen said.
Empire is 'still working out' a lot of the details for what the new concept would look like but it would be a 'different vibe in general' from Bev's, Cullen said.
Bev's opened in early 2022. Empire acquired the property after Jimmy's Grill closed and left the space vacant. Initially, the restaurant group — which also owns Empire Burgers + Brew on Chicago Avenue — intended for Bev's to be a temporary pop-up while construction on a much larger restaurant to be called Cali's was done around it.
However, high construction costs and damage to business amid the city's ongoing Washington Street Bridge replacement made pursuing a larger restaurant not feasible, Cullen said in a call Tuesday.
Speaking to the impact of nearby infrastructure improvements especially, Cullen said, 'Washington Street being under construction put a lot of pressure on the business.'
When the city was completing bridge construction and downtown streetscape work at the same time through last year, business at Bev's was down about 40%, Cullen said.
Looking ahead to Empire's new concept, Cullen said there will 'definitely be additional buildout,' with the idea being that the property will be 'gutted on the inside.'
As for Bev's, Cullen recognized it was 'more of a temporary thing' but added, 'We wished it would have been able to hold on for longer.'
'I guess that's the way it works sometimes,' he said.
Downtown Naperville has recently said goodbye to two other eateries: Effin Egg at 22 E. Chicago Ave. and Sweet Home Gelato at 50 S. Main St., according to Katie Wood, executive director of the Downtown Naperville Alliance.
Effin Egg, which opened in 2023, closed about six months ago, Wood said in an email Tuesday.
Both businesses closed for 'various reasons,' Wood said. Meanwhile, Wood noted that both spaces have been released or are in the process of being leased.
In January, Sweet Home Gelato announced its closure in a social media post.
'Thank you Naperville for sharing your moments, smiles and energy with us,' the post read.
Outside of downtown, a new retail cannabis dispensary has opened in unincorporated Naperville. Prairie Cannabis celebrated the grand opening of its new location at 4S120 Route 59 on Feb. 6, according to a news release.
Jonah Rapino, Director of Marketing at Prairie Cannabis, said in the release that the dispensary, which is at the border between Naperville and Warrenville, was 'excited to officially join the local business community.'
An Illinois-based company, the new Naperville dispensary is Prairie Cannabis' first retail location but the company plans to expand further, with an additional location launching in Chicago later this March, the release said.
tkenny@chicagotribune.com
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Crypto lobby gains ground under Trump
Crypto lobby gains ground under Trump

The Hill

time5 minutes ago

  • The Hill

Crypto lobby gains ground under Trump

At least 27 crypto companies or advocates filed their first-ever lobbying disclosures this year across some 20 firms, reflecting an increasing appetite for influence in a more crypto-friendly Washington. The newcomers originate from all corners of the industry. There's betting website Polymarket, a gaming company that created an NFT version of the White House Easter egg hunt, and a Seychelles-based exchange that cannot operate in the U.S. market due to a federal money laundering settlement. Together, they spent nearly $2.8 million between April 1 and June 30 on lobbying landmark legislation promoting digital assets to the Treasury Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission, and a host of other issues relevant to blockchain infrastructure — an increasingly sprawling ecosystem that some hope could one day be as ubiquitous as the internet. The push has paid off for crypto so far. The GENIUS Act, a bill with bipartisan support signed by President Trump last week, has been regarded as the government's 'seal of approval' on the industry. The law sets up a regulatory framework for stablecoins, a type of cryptocurrency that is theoretically pegged to the U.S. dollar or another reference asset. The House also advanced several other landmark bills during its monumental 'crypto week,' which featured high-profile lobbying stunts such as vending machines around the Capitol and the National Mall with customized chocolate bars urging 'yes' votes, bankrolled by the crypto exchange Coinbase. Lobbying expenses that week were not covered in the second quarter disclosures. At least 73 companies or associations focused on crypto disclosed federal lobbying activities, to the tune of about $11.4 million. This total doesn't include spending from investment firms such as Andreessen Horowitz ($790,000) or BlackRock ($810,000) that have substantial crypto interests but also lobbied on a suite of other financial regulation issues. The Hill's Miriam Waldvogel has more here.

New AI platform has mapped every construction project in Texas giving contractors "God mode" for leads
New AI platform has mapped every construction project in Texas giving contractors "God mode" for leads

Business Journals

time35 minutes ago

  • Business Journals

New AI platform has mapped every construction project in Texas giving contractors "God mode" for leads

A New Edge in Construction Intelligence Texas GCs have always relied on luck, timing, and relationships to win new construction projects. But a new AI-powered platform by is a game changer helping GCs discover private projects earlier, engage decision-makers sooner, and win deals ahead of competitors. One Houston-based general contractor put it plainly: 'It's God mode for leads.' a Texas-focused market intelligence platform, has mapped over 65,000 active private construction projects across the state. The platform provides structured access to early-stage signals such as rezoning activity, land title changes, permitting updates, and ownership transfers—often before plans are finalized or teams are selected. Unlike traditional platforms that rely on user input or call centers, pulls directly from city and state databases, private sources, and creates proprietary data where no structured information currently exists. Every update is tied to a traceable source document, giving users a clear paper trail for every insight. equips users to act early by connecting dots that would take a human weeks to uncover. Built for Early Signal Detection Contractors can follow civil engineers, developers, and architects, track movement across projects, and engage earlier with decision-makers. The platform helps BD teams position themselves as trusted advisors—shaping scope, not reacting to it. is the only source of early intelligence on private construction projects before the bid stage, giving contractors real-time visibility into upcoming opportunities. It surfaces what's coming—not just what's already out there. 10x Better Than Legacy Tools Traditional bid-management platforms like ConstructConnect and Dodge track public bid-stage activity. But by the time projects hit those systems, it's often too late. Private work is different. You find very few private opportunities on bid boards, and often the ones featured are much too late. 'ConstructConnect tells you what's already happening. Mercator shows you what's coming,' says founder Chloe Smith. Chloe Smith created the platform in 2020 after watching her father, a 45-year industry veteran, prepare for retirement. 'They were flying blind,' she recalls. 'Had he walked out, they wouldn't know where the work was coming from next.' 'My dad always talked to me about relationships,' she adds. 'As I matured, I realized the massive risk this imposed on his company. If he decided to retire, those relationships would disappear. Their revenue channel instantly appeared highly fragile.' She describes as a force multiplier tool for BD teams: a sales 'cheat code' that eliminates hours of manual research and replaces it with verified, real-time intelligence. And more than that, it solves a deeper pain point: the FOMO of not knowing what you don't know. 'We were tired of hearing about projects too late. With Mercator, we're in early—and it's directly impacted our win rate.' — VP, Business Development Free Permits App – Click Here Results on the Ground Texas-based users are already seeing impact. It's already being used by GCs like Joeris, Bartlett Cocke, and ChalkLine, and it's quickly becoming the de-facto standard in proactive business development across the state. A Houston interiors firm used to identify a permit revision, secure a meeting, and win the project. A Dallas GC tracked multifamily conversions early and secured two jobs before competitors were even aware. One Houston-based contractor secured a self-storage project by spotting an early land acquisition and rezoning signal. They invited the developer to tour a similar build, influenced the design, and ultimately won the job. A self-perform contractor identified a healthcare expansion weeks in advance and locked in supplier work ahead of any bid package. Internal metrics show users surface 3–5x more early-stage opportunities weekly—and spend far less time chasing dead-end leads. 'If I have one coffee meeting, I might walk away with two leads in an hour. If I'm on Mercator, I could find five in that same time.' — Director of Business Development, General Contractor 'It really allows us to parse the data, analyze it, and get high-quality leads to reps in the field. So yes, I'm a fan.' — Senior Manager, Business Development 'Mercator cuts through the noise. We don't waste time chasing dead-end leads anymore.' — Sales Manager Pricing – Click Here to Book a Live Demo Widespread Adoption and Growing Demand is actively used by members of Houston AGC, Austin AGC, San Antonio AGC, and Texo AGC/ABC. It tracks commercial, industrial, healthcare, institutional, and multifamily projects across tenant improvement, exterior renovations, core and shell, and ground up construction in every major metro in the state. The platform's growth reflects a broader shift in how construction teams are using technology. In a more competitive, margin-conscious market, timing and insight have become decisive advantages. 'AI gives people the time and space to be more strategic,' says Nihar Dalmia, a partner at Deloitte. 'It enables higher-value work and accelerates decision-making.' doesn't replace business development. It sharpens it. The best teams don't just react faster—they show up earlier, with more to offer.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store