Two longtime Naperville businesses close but slew of restaurants on horizon
Two longtime Naperville businesses, Elegante Salon & Day Spa and Great Harvest Baking Co., have shut their doors.
The former announced on Facebook that its last day would be July 25 but gave no reason for the closure and did not respond to requests for comment.
Elegante had been in business for more than 50 years at 15 S. Naper Blvd., providing hair, skin and nail services. Its stylists have relocated to a new salon, the Facebook post said.
The owners of Great Harvest Bread Co. also announced on social media that they were closing this week after more than 35 years of business.
While they tried to find someone to take over the business at 192 W. Gartner Road, they were unsuccessful. When their landlord chose not to renew their lease, the owners opted to close than to find a new location, the post said.
Requests for comment were unanswered.
However, there are other business openings on the horizon.
What’s coming
Golf lovers can look forward to upping their game at Back Nine Golf at 1271 Rickert Drive. With roughly 200 locations across the country, the 24/7 membership-based facility provides golf simulators and private practice spaces aimed at those serious about the sport. An October opening is planned, according to owner Russ Dawson.
“I have worked in corporate America for a very long time and I’m very passionate about golf myself,” Dawson said. “I really wanted to do something that I was passionate about and felt like I can really give 100% of myself to.”
The 3,000-square-foot facility will start out with three golf simulators and a small office space. Dawson, an Aurora resident, said he hopes to partner with golf teams at local high schools and provide them with a training space.
Unlike other golf simulator businesses, Back Nine welcomes people of all skill levels but is not entertainment-focused, he said.
Shawarma Stop, with locations in Schaumburg and Buffalo Grove, will be taking over the former Kong Dog store at 1292 Rickert Drive. Owner Uluk Kadyraliev said he hopes to open his newest store, specializing in fresh shawarma wraps, in October.
Kadyraliev immigrated to the U.S. from Kyrgyzstan in 2010 and eventually landed in the restaurant industry, he said. He started out washing dishes for another restaurant and worked his way up, learning English along the way.
His first Shawarma Stop opened last year in Schaumburg and is a love letter to his days as a college student.
“This was our In-N-Out Burger. This was our McDonald’s. We didn’t have McDonald’s, but we had shawarma stands,” Kadyraliev said. “I missed that flavor and I missed that taste, so when you bite it, it brings you back to (those) college days.”
Indian ice cream chain Dumont Creamery & Cafe is now open at Block 59 and will host its grand opening weekend Aug. 21-24, according to an announcement from the dining and entertainment complex.
The business is known for its exotic ice cream flavors representing different countries, including a Lotus Biscoff flavor for Belgium and a mint basil sorbet for Italy. Guests can enjoy a buy one scoop, get one scoop free offer from the shop during the grand opening weekend. The first 100 people will receive exclusive goodies.
Lola’s Handcrafted Churros hopes to open its new downtown location at 8 W. Jefferson Ave. this August. Owner Mayra Serna said once the Naperville shop completes its inspections and gets the green light from the city, she will be ready.
The shop, which has locations in Lisle and Yorkville, is known for their churro sundaes and offers a variety of drink options, like their mango lemonade and specialty lattes.
Also joining the downtown lineup is Roman-style pizza shop Bonci. Chakib Touhami, owner of Bonci USA, said he hopes to open the new shop at 22 E. Chicago Ave. either “next Friday (Aug. 14) or max, the Friday after.”
Bonci was started in Rome by renowned pizza maker Gabriele Bonci and expanded to Chicago in 2017. The brand recently launched shops in Milan and Dubai.
The Naperville location, which is the first in the Chicago suburbs, will feature many of Bonci’s well-known pizza combinations as well as seasonal specialties, including a peach pizza with ricotta and smoked salmon, Touhami said.
But pizza slices aren’t the only thing guests have to look forward to. Later this fall, the famed-chef Bonci himself is expected to make an appearance in Naperville for a book-signing and other activities, Touhami said.
“We are very confident that we are bringing something to Naperville that (has) never happened,” he said. “They are as lucky as Milan and Dubai, let’s put it that way.”
Other new restaurants also headed downtown are Cantina Taco Grill, which is replacing the old Front Street Cantina at 15 W. Jefferson Ave., and I Heart Gyro at 22 E. Chicago Ave.
Jose Oliver, owner of Cantina Taco Grill, said his restaurant specializes in serving tacos with more upscale ingredients like New York strip and rib-eye steak.
“We want to do something different and show that your humble taco is not just cheaper quality meats,” Oliver said.
He is targeting a Sept. 15 opening date. Oliver owns another Mexican restaurant in Westmont called Taco Grill and Salsa Bar but said he has wanted to open a restaurant in downtown Naperville for the past 15 years.
Representatives for I Heart Gyro did not respond to requests for comment.
cstein@chicagotribune.com