The Anvil Club, a 67-year-old private dining establishment in downtown East Dundee that opened to the public last year, will serve its last meal at the end of July.
It’s has been purchased by Colin Hegarty, who plans to convert it into a Mexican restaurant.
“Our main focus right now is taking into consideration The Anvil Club’s legacy and ending on a high note,” said Hegarty, who owns the Maple & Hash restaurants in West Dundee and Pingree Grove.
The Anvil Club building at 309 Meier St. started life as a blacksmith shop, which operated at the site from 1911 to 1954. Two years later, it became a members-only fine dining restaurant and remained such even after local businessman Tom Roeser bought it nine years ago.
Last year, Roeser opened the business to the public. He will be a minority partner in the new restaurant, Hegarty said.
East and West Dundee and Carpentersville have more than a dozen Mexican restaurants already, but Hegarty said his approach will be different because the large square footage will provide space for group and family events.
“We will be offering high-end cocktails and outstanding food that will be an eclectic blend of classic dishes and staff’s take on Mexican cuisine, with a modern twist,” Hegarty said.
This will be Hegarty’s third restaurant opening in as many years, but the undertaking isn’t daunting, he said, because he has a great team assembled that is more than capable of running all three operations.
Hegarty anticipates that it will take about 120 days after the purchase closes July 31 to make the renovations needed for the new restaurant. They’re shooting for a mid- to late-November opening, he said.
Among his plans is to remove the fencing around the outdoor patio area so it is visible to the public and can be part of seasonal outdoor events downtown, Hegarty said.
The Anvil Club notified its patrons via email of the closing. Its June and July cigar dinners will be the last events held at the restaurant, and previously booked private parties will be held as scheduled, the announcement said.
East Dundee Village Board Trustee Sarah Brittin said the news is bittersweet as she’s loved The Anvil Club for years.
“I’m going to be heartbroken not only to lose part of our village’s history, but my own history as well,” Brittin said. “We’ve celebrated birthdays and anniversaries and daily life successes, and even mourned losses, with the wonderful friends we’ve made in the staff and regulars.
“This change will be hard for many of us, but change isn’t always bad, even when it’s sad,” she said.
Northern Kane County Chamber of Commerce President Melissa Ness Hernandez agreed. The club hosted the chamber’s annual holiday lunch for many years, she said.
“The cherished memories forged within its walls shall live on, serving as a testament to the club’s enduring legacy,” Hernandez said.
Mike Danahey is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
