Big Grove Brewery gets green light to replace Durty Nellie’s in Palatine

Palatine village council members were wistful about the impending closing of Durty Nellie’s but looked forward to ushering in a new era with Big Grove Brewery.

The council strongly backed the plan to replace the iconic downtown pub and concert venue with the brewery, a well-known brand in Iowa.

They voted on Tuesday to grant a special use to the new restaurant and brewery at 180-190 N. Smith St.

The liquor commission also approved the application for a liquor license, although Village Manager Reid Ottesen said the village is not issuing one until the restaurant is ready to open.

“This is a little bittersweet,” council member Doug Myslinski said. “Durty Nellie’s has been a staple of our community for a long time.”

But Myslinski said Big Grove would be a more than adequate substitution.

“This is the exact venue that our downtown has been looking for,” council member Brad Helms said. “To have this venue within vision of the train is going to be a great draw.”

Council member Scott Lamerand said he has visited Big Grove Brewery’s Iowa City location and praised the way it combines the indoor and outdoor spaces.

“It’s a cornerstone for us, an anchor tenant in our downtown, right at our train station, and I know you guys are going to do a great job,” he said.

The council also adopted a redevelopment agreement with BGB Palatine Real Estate, LLC, that will allow the owners to tap into up to $1.75 million in tax increment financing (TIF) funds.

The TIF assistance would reimburse the owners for such expenses as land acquisition and remodeling costs.

In addition, the village would contribute up to an additional $100,000 toward expenses related to the relocation of the right-in/right-out entrance within the Smith Street right-of-way.

The agreement calls for the restaurant to complete improvements to the building and property and be open no later than Dec. 31, 2027. Improvements would include reconfiguration of the first floor and expansion of the ground level outdoor patio area.

Mike Wehr, chief operating officer of Big Grove Brewery, which has an established presence in Iowa and branches in Kansas and Nebraska, told the council he hopes to open next summer.

Plans include a full-service kitchen and a relocated bar on the first floor and private event space on the second floor.

Wehr explained Big Grove will brew on-site five to seven taplines that it will rotate. He said the brewery tries to create beers unique to an area, even suggesting a tie-in to the Durty Nellie’s name.

Operation hours are from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekends.

“Ninety-six percent of our business happens before 10 o’clock, and so we are not a late-night place,” Wehr said.

szalusky@dailyherald.com