Downtown Elmhurst sees new enjoyment and dining intricate

Tom Trenta of Elmhurst is building a massive guess on eating and leisure in his hometown’s downtown.

Past month, Trenta officially opened the new concert and occasion room Elmhurst Corridor and a new bar named Ever Onward, the two at 119 N. York Highway. The exact developing is also established to see a new upscale cafe named Kindred that is aiming for a late April opening.

“We are completely informed that we are hoping to start a new hospitality enterprise coming out of a pandemic and coming out of a restaurant employing disaster,” Trenta mentioned. “But situations of wrestle are also of chance, and downtown Elmhurst was ripe for anything like this ideal now.”

Trenta beforehand worked in inventive promoting companies for other restaurant models for the previous ten years. But he had his eye on redeveloping his hometown.

Trenta’s trifecta of downtown Elmhurst attractions replaces what was formerly Fitz’s Spare Keys, a 24,000-square-foot setting up regarded for its bowling lanes and billiards that closed previous 12 months immediately after 12 years of company. The gutted and remodeled constructing now characteristics the 6,000-square-foot Elmhurst Hall as the centerpiece attraction, with a 35-foot stage and a 26-foot video screen for concerts or private functions.

“We invested closely in the acoustics for the area,” Trenta mentioned. “The most significant amenity is that it sounds terrific.”

As a music corridor, Trenta claimed the purpose this yr is to current 100 stay exhibits to appeal to equally nearby and regional audiences. Select nights of the 7 days are devoted to area rock bands, jazz combos and ticketed live performance headliners booked by Chicago-centered Star Situations.

And when Elmhurst Hall is not closed off for non-public parties or paid out live shows, it can be opened up for patrons of the bar Ever Onward to wander above to take pleasure in the new music.

Trenta describes his optimistically named bar At any time Onward to be an “energizing and uplifting house” and designed to be the opposite of a darkish sports bar — even nevertheless games can be found on its screens. Although Ever Onward and Kindred will have independent foods and drinks menus, Trenta mentioned both locations will intention to be as domestically sourced as feasible with elements and location brand names.

“Ever Onward will have its possess kitchen and its possess team and its personal vibe,” explained Trenta, introducing that the bar’s output kitchen can also accommodate Elmhurst Hall’s massive events of over 200 men and women.

Kindred cafe is also to have its individual kitchen and house in the building, with an emphasis on open-flame seasonal cooking for steaks, vegetable plates, venison, duck and shellfish.

“Kindred is seriously going to be our newborn to increase the culinary scene in the location and also to convey plenty of people into our town,” Trenta stated. “Investing in downtown Elmhurst is a thing that I’ve been organizing to do for a lengthy time, and I couldn’t be happier.”