'We're all very sad that it's happening': The Clubhouse at Oakbrook Center closing

After nearly a quarter-century, The Clubhouse is closing shop in Oak Brook.

Earlier this week, the fine dining restaurant at Oakbrook Center announced via its Facebook page that it will close on Jan. 9. The Clubhouse is part of the Really Nice Restaurants group and has been in Oak Brook for 24 years.

“We're all very sad that it's happening,” said Matt Radostits, the vice president of operations for The Clubhouse. “Our lease is coming to an end, and for some reason or another, it hasn't been renewed.”

Part of The Clubhouse's Facebook posting read: “Thank you for including us in so many of your major milestones and celebrations. We've felt like honored members of your family for all these years, and it has been an absolute pleasure to be of service.”

The Clubhouse was custom-built at Oakbrook Center to offer private event spaces like a banqueting hall for wedding receptions and other smaller spaces for parties, business meetings and other occasions. Because of this, Radostits said the owners of The Clubhouse are not currently looking to relocate.

“It would be quite an undertaking to open in a new space or try to find an existing space that meets our style,” Radostits said. “There's nothing out there in the marketplace.”

The Clubhouse did briefly expand to include a Schaumburg location at 1301 American Lane near Woodfield Mall. But that restaurant only lasted from late 2016 to early 2018.

The Clubhouse's closure at Oakbrook Center follows on the heels of another longtime restaurant that announced it, too, was shutting down. Last week. Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants confirmed that its lease was expiring for Mon Ami Gabi, a French bistro set to close on Nov. 24 after 21 years.

A spokesperson with Brookfield Properties, which manages Oakbrook Center, said ongoing negotiations prevented them from disclosing why the leases were not renewed.

“There's been such an outpouring of support, and we're just happy to see familiar faces,” said Radostits, who hopes that longtime patrons of The Clubhouse will return for a final goodbye before the restaurant closes. “So, whether people are coming in to enjoy a meal or just coming out to say, ‘Hi,' we're ready for them.”