Tommy Nevin’s Finalizes Limestone Building Purchase; Brew Pub to Open by Labor Day

A new Plainfield restaurant could become a flagship of sorts for the owners of Tommy Nevin’s Pub.

Co-owner Steve Cin said Nevin’s Brewing Company is slated to open by Labor Day in the spot vacated by . The sale of the building, was finalized Wednesday.

“It’ll be an American-themed brewery,” Cin said. “We’re hoping at some point to create our own great beers and self-distribute” to other restaurants owned by the company.

The Nevin’s chain includes Irish pubs and American steakhouses. Holdings include The Kerry Piper Willowbrook, Muldoon’s in Wheaton and Tommy Nevin’s pubs in Naperville, Frankfort and Evanston, along with Pete Miller's Seafood and Prime Steak in Evanston and Wheeling.

Cin said the Kerry Piper and Muldoon’s locations could eventually become Tommy Nevin’s franchises.

“We’re going to try to build this Tommy Nevin’s brand,” he explained. “We believe it’s a strong concept. We may even take it nationally eventually.”

Cin said an expansion is in the works for the brew pub, located at 12337 S. Route 59 near 127th Street.

“We’re planning to expand the space,” he said, adding the brewery itself will be two to three times larger than it was under Limestone Brewing. “There will be a huge outdoor garden on the southbound side overlooking the pond.”

Offices and a party room for hosting beer tastings and private events will be located on the north side of the building.

Cin said the owners would like to open the new Nevin’s as soon as possible, but they anticipate an opening date around Labor Day.

“When you want to make something great,” he said, “it takes some time.”

The menu will be different from the fare at the existing Tommy Nevin’s.

“There will be no Irish elements,” Cin said. “It’ll be good brew food.”

But first, the company is seeking a new brewmaster.

“We have a nationwide search going for a brewmaster now,” Cin said, adding whoever is hired will play an important role in developing the beers that are brewed in Plainfield.

The chain’s dear, departed namesake will also have input into the beers created at the Route 59 brewery.

“Tommy Nevin was a brewer during Prohibition,” Cin said of the World War I hero and grandfather to Chicago-area restaurateur Steve Prescott. Cin said his company purchased the Nevin’s name from the late Prescott’s estate.

“We actually found several recipes [of Nevin’s] in the archives and those will be the first two beers that we will be producing,” Cin said.

Nevin’s to take over existing leases

Tommy Nevin’s isn’t just taking over .

The company purchased the entire strip mall, which was sold at auction after previous owner Ardmin Properties filed for bankruptcy last year. Ardmin reportedly owed more than $8.5 million to lender RBS Citizens N.A.

Cin, who declined to disclose the purchase price of the building, said there’s no truth to claims that Ardmin is still involved with the 55,000-square-foot strip center.

“There are no additional partners,” Cin said. “We own [the building] and we will be operating it.”

That also means taking on the leases for existing tenants, including , , , and .

Cin said a new restaurant will open soon in the old location.

“I don’t want to steal [the restaurant owner’s] thunder,” he said. “It’s a great concept and I wish I could say more. It’s an established restaurant and he’s coming up with a theme that’s very needed in this area.”

As for his own new restaurant, Cin said he’ll be looking to start hiring staff by mid- to late-July.

“We’ll probably be hiring four to six weeks prior to opening,” he said.

He said the first crop of new hires will have the advantage of being trained by employees at the chain’s Naperville Tommy Nevin’s location, which is celebrating its fifth anniversary.

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