Westmont Town Focus

What do Beanie Babies, BBQ, the blues and BMWs have in common? In the vernacular of the western suburbs, the answer is Westmont.

This village of nearly 25,000 near the eastern border of DuPage County is known for corporate offices, thriving restaurants, high-end auto dealers and a vibrant history, among other attributes and attractions. While there are many things to do and see in Westmont, those who call this town home say it’s also a nice place to put down some proverbial roots.

"What brought me here was my career, but what kept me here is the community," says 38-year resident Ron Gunter, current mayor and longtime director of the Westmont Park District. "Westmont is a diverse community that is a great place to raise your family and where there is something for everyone to do."

Westmont is also appealing to residents and businesses because of its location. In addition to accessibility by rail, several busy streets crisscross this town, including Illinois Route 83, 55th Street, 63rd Street and Cass Avenue, to name a few.

"Westmont’s key attributes definitely include its location in ‘the middle of it all,’ with close proximity to the busiest Metra line in the Chicagoland area, and easy access to I-355, I-294 and I-88, without the congestion that you would find in larger cities," agrees Jill Ziegler, village planner for the Village of Westmont.

Ogden Avenue is another thoroughfare that cuts through Westmont and offers a bit of history to boot: Ogden used to be Old Plank Road that connected the burgeoning outpost of Chicago to the agricultural area that is now Westmont back in 1840. (One nod to that history is the shop Antiques on Old Plank Road, an Ogden Avenue mainstay.)

DINING & SHOPPING DOWNTOWN

Like many suburbs, Westmont’s central business district was built up along with the railroad tracks that led from Chicago to outlying areas during the 19th century.

Today, that part of town is still where a lot of the action is. There is a veritable restaurant row on the north side of the tracks along Cass Avenue, with eateries such as Amber Café, Vincitori, J. Fleming’s Absolutely Delicious, China Chef, Bishop’s Chili, New Korea Garden, Westmont Restaurant and two of the newer establishments in the village, NEAT Kitchen + Bar and the Sweet and Savory Spot.

NEAT Kitchen’s co-owners, Mike Cairo and Jason Van Lente, found that Westmont was an ideal spot for their new venture. "The town was great to work with, in terms of supporting us," says Cairo. "And I personally like the downtown area and I think we could be the next downtown Downers Grove or La Grange, which are always busy."

Cairo and Van Lente also reciprocate the local support by opening their restaurant for fundraisers and working with various charities and organizations.  "We also try to source locally as much as possible," Cairo adds, including produce from Nature’s Best market across the street. It also buys some breads and cheeses at Standard Market and features beers from Urban Legend Brewery in town.

South of the tracks, Uncle Bub’s BBQ and Catering has made a name for its authentic barbecue fare as well as its winning record in a slew of barbecue competitions, including the top spot at this June’s Chicago’s Ribfest and a first place for ribs at the Sioux Falls Ribfest in South Dakota. Dolce’s Pizza and Wine Bar, Tasty Treat and La Petite Sweet are other culinary attractions in this part of the downtown area.

In addition to restaurants, a variety of stores and businesses line the streets of downtown Westmont, such as Uncle Jon’s Music, Phoenix Nails Spa, Endure It! bike store and training center, Blue Beaker gift shop, KH Renovations, Darl Grooters Interior Design, Irv Kaplan Interiors, Oakwood Lighting and Westmont Floral, to name a few.

Fitness is at the core — literally and figuratively— of some downtown places, too. "We have a lot of new businesses that incorporate physical activity or group classes," points out Ziegler, citing spinning classes at Endure It!, dance classes at the Center for Dance, a new wrestling school at 60th and Cass, and aerial fitness classes at Rising Goddess.

According to Gunter, one can expect to see even more new storefronts. "We’ve had a lot of new businesses come in and existing businesses expand. About a year ago, we made our central business district a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district to stimulate additional growth," he reports.

BUSTLING WESTMONT EVENTS

The main business area is fairly busy on any given day, but the big crowds come out in summertime for various special events in downtown Westmont.

On Thursday nights through August 28, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., the main downtown street is closed to traffic to allow the community to come together for the weekly Summer Street Fair. Held along a two-block stretch of Cass Avenue, the fair features "Cool Cars on Cass," a display of classic and unique cars, as well an open market, kids’ activities and live entertainment by bands and other performers.

One of the highlights of the year is the Taste of Westmont, which this year takes place from July 10 to 13. While some of the carnival rides at the event may be hair-raising, don’t be alarmed to see a lot of people with their hair really on end — the theme of this year’s fest is "Wild Hair."

"At the Taste of Westmont, we feature many Westmont restaurants as well as the business community and service clubs," adds Larry McIntyre, the village’s community events coordinator. To that point, Cairo says that after this year’s Taste of Westmont ends, NEAT Kitchen + Bar will be putting a tent in its parking lot and will sponsor event-related activities like a dunk tank for charity and live music at night.

Another popular event is past for this year, but you can mark your calendars for May 2015 for the annual Red, White and BBQ, a barbecue festival and competition that takes place in Ty Warner Park and draws barbecue pitmasters from all over the country.

While summer inevitably fades into fall, the events in Westmont continue on. This fall, look for a new Craft Beer Alefest, the Chamber of Commerce Pet Promenade, downtown trick or treating and a haunted trail walk. The holidays kick off with Wesmont’s annual Holly Days Winter Fest that starts the day after Thanksgiving and runs through the New Year. Holly Days is a cooperative effort between the Village, Park District, Chamber of Commerce and the William L. Gregg House Museum.

BEYOND DOWNTOWN

Downtown Westmont may be located in the physical center of town and is a subsequent hubbub of activity, but other parts of this suburb offer things to do and see.

Drive along Ogden Avenue, for example, and you can see the evolution of historic Old Plank Road to a 21st century byway. Here, you can get a bite to eat at places like Jimmy’s Island Grill, Yu’s Mandarin, Bakersfield, Las Palmas, Bohemian Crystal and other spots, ranging from breakfast places like the new Citrus Diner (which took over the old Moondance Diner, see page 95) to Chinese and Taiwanese fare found at the International Mall food court along Pasquinelli Drive, just south of the intersection of Route 83 and Ogden. There are also dozens of chain and independent stores, from specialty stores like Hobby Lobby and Chicago Clock and Gifts to sports gear shop Urban Tri.

For those who like cars — especially luxury vehicles — Ogden Avenue in Westmont is an auto corridor of sorts. Among the dealers are Napleton Porsche, Laurel BMW, McGrath Lexus and Acura, Audi Westmont, Mercedes-Benz of Westmont and, just a hop and a skip away from the town line, Infiniti of Clarendon Hills.

EPICUREAN DELIGHT

Since it opened in Westmont on Ogden Avenue a few years ago, Standard Market has drawn epicureans as well as local residents looking to cross items off their grocery lists. The store features an in-house restaurant as well as a bounty of prepared foods, specialty deli and bakery items and fresh produce, meat and seafood. The owners of Standard Market also run Bakersfield restaurant across the street.

In the south and southwest part of Westmont, including South Cass, 55th Street and 63rd Street, additional eateries like Tap House Bar and Grill, Urban Legends brewery, and longtime pizza favorite Papa Passero’s, draw Westmont residents and those from other nearby suburbs alike.

Thanks to additional TIF funding, new businesses are in the works there, too. "Mariano’s was approved in the southwest section of town on west 63rd Street and is currently working on engineering drawings for the site,’ says Ziegler of the growing Chicago-area grocery chain.

In the north part of Westmont, Oak Brook Hills golf course and hotel recently underwent a change of ownership.

"It was bought by a private investment group and will start flying the Hilton flag in the next month," says Gunter.

BALLFIELDS, BEAN TOSSES & SPRAY PARK

Not far off Ogden Avenue is a 36-acre oasis that has become a hallmark of modern Westmont. This is the peak season for Ty Warner Park, which includes three multipurpose ball fields,gardens, a great lawn, playground and water spray park.

"Ty Warner has become a destination park," notes Gunter, "and people come from all over to enjoy it, whether they want to sit and watch nature or watch a game."

The park, named for Beanie Baby mogul Ty Warner because of the funds he donated to build the facility, is an especially popular place to be on the Fourth of July.

In addition to a fireworks show that attracts visitors from several surrounding suburbs, the park is the site of an annual fundraiser for the Gregg House museum — the increasingly popular Barnyard Bingo, complete with live barnyard animals. On other summer nights, people gather in the lawn area for a series of free concerts.

While Ty Warner Park is the biggest park in Westmont, it’s not the only one. Across town, Veterans Memorial Park is another popular green space and site for various village events, including outdoor summer concerts and Little League games.

The Westmont Park District also maintains the popular Twin Lakes Golf Club, a nine-hole course on 25 acres designed for beginners as well as experienced golfers.

Throughout the year, the turf at the Westmont Yard is always green, even during a polar vortex or blizzard. This indoor sports complex on 63rd Street features leagues, classes and camps for soccer, 7-on-7 football, lacrosse, reball (paintless paintball) and open field games.

Likewise, the Westmont Community Center, located within Veteran’s Memorial Park, includes an indoor gym, activity room and dance studio.

BITS OF THE PAST

While Westmont builds for the future with new businesses and development projects, visitors can still learn about this suburb’s past. Walking down Cass Avenue in downtown Westmont, for instance, visitors will note a variety of vintage buildings.

An official historic building is the William L. Gregg House Museum, which was originally built as a showroom for the Excelsior Brick Company and, at different turns, served other functions. "There is a wonderful history of all the different things that were here over the years — it was a speakeasy, a restaurant and, in the 1930s, a community center," says Alice Krampits, curator for the museum. "Two priests and nuns lived there for many years, too, as caretakers for nearby Holy Trinity Church."

In the mid 1970s, as the building faced a possible razing, the Westmont Historical Society was formed to save it.

Today, Gregg House Museum is still operated by the Westmont Historical Society. In addition to permanent and revolving displays, the museum offers family activities throughout the year, including a spring art show, ice cream social and garden party in early June.

More recent history comes to life in Westmont through the Muddy Waters Museum in the Westmont City Center. Considered by many to be the father of the Chicago blues movement, Waters lived in Westmont from age 73 to 83.

"Those were his golden years, when he got the recognition he deserved. He won four Grammy Awards when he was here," explains McIntyre. The museum features items that were donated or are on loan from the musician’s estate, including one of his Grammy trophies.

The nearby Westmont Public Library also offers a range of services for residents and guests, from a new digital branch of the library, to special events like a trivia night in partnership with the Sweet and Savory Shop.