Palatine’s Durty Nellie’s could be sold, replaced by brewery
Durty Nellie’s, the beloved northwest suburban restaurant and music venue, could have a new owner, a new name and a brewery within a year.
Iowa-based Big Grove Brewery has a contract to purchase the Palatine nightclub, which has operated at 180 N. Smith St. since 2003, according to village documents.
The potential new owner’s plans will be discussed Tuesday before Palatine’s planning and zoning commission.
The commission will consider an amendment to the Gateway Center Planned Development to permit the reconfiguration and remodeling of the downtown building. It would also authorize changes to the parking area.
In addition, Big Grove Brewery is seeking a special use permit to allow a new restaurant/bar with brewery, an expanded ground-level outdoor patio with dining, seating and activity areas, and new signs.
Big Grove Brewery operates six restaurants and taprooms in Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas, according to village documents. It is the 62nd largest brewery in the country and distributes its beer to seven Midwestern states, documents state.
The new business would include a restaurant, taproom and full-service bar, along with a small on-site brewery. Big Grove would also sell merchandise, including T-shirts, hats and packaged beer.
Big Grove Brewery started in 2013 in Solon, Iowa, by restaurateurs Matt and Faye Swift, according to the business plan submitted to the village. They partnered with Doug Goetsch of the Culinary Institute of America.
They opened their second location in Iowa City in 2017. As the business grew, it expanded to Omaha, Nebraska, and Prairie Village, Kansas.
The cost of remodeling Durty Nellie’s is estimated at north of $4.5 million.
Other Big Grove locations of similar size and capacity see an average of 5,000 guests per week, according to the documents.
Plans call for the new business to be open next summer.
The brewery would produce unique Palatine beers and bring in Big Grove Brewery’s core beers, including Easy Eddy and Citrus Surfer.
Durty Nellie’s co-owner Jim Dolezal declined to comment on the purchase.
Dolezal and his late brother, Mark Dolezal, had announced in 2023 the site would be redeveloped. Under their plan, Durty Nellie’s would be demolished and a six-story building constructed in its place. It would contain a reimagined Durty Nellie’s, 85 apartments and additional commercial space.
The village council granted preliminary approval, but the project’s Tennessee-based developer, Jonathan Payne, was unable to meet village parking requirements for the proposal.
After Mark’s death last year, 95% of the ownership shares were transferred to his widow, Pamela Dolezal, with Jim retaining the remaining 5%.
szalusky@dailyherald.com