Three more businesses have apparently left Naperville’s downtown while a longtime local staple prepares to reopen after months of restoration and a small cafe chain puts down roots.
AltaVida ‘currently closed’
After opening earlier this spring, AltaVida closed in early November, according to Katie Wood, executive director of the Downtown Naperville Alliance. The Latin-inspired, three-story entertainment complex filled a portion of the 16 W. Jefferson Ave. building previously occupied by The Craftsman.
When asked if the closure was indefinite and AltaVida had plans to reopen, Wood said in an email, “All we know (is that) they are currently closed. We have not received any information about what their plans are going forward.”
AltaVida representatives did not return multiple requests for comment. The business’ website and Facebook page are still active. It is also still on OpenTable, an online platform for making restaurant reservations, though it appears it is not possible to book a table at this time.
Multiple calls to the business during operating hours were sent to a voice answering system.
AltaVida’s reported closure comes after business representatives told the Naperville City Council earlier this fall that they were facing difficulties.
At the council’s Oct. 1 meeting, AltaVida made a request to offer valet parking by establishing a special parking zone along Jefferson Avenue, an action that required council approval. The move would make parking easier for patrons, owner Edwin Rios told council members at the time.
“Yes, we’re going through significant growing pains, and I take full responsibility for overshooting what we expected to do,” Rios said. “We are growing, we are growing slowly, we are growing with sets of challenges.”
The request was denied with a 7-2 vote.
Jimmy John’s relocates
A Jimmy John’s sandwich shop at 19 W. Jefferson Ave. has relocated a few blocks north to space at Ogden Avenue and Washington Street, according to Wood.
It was a planned closure. The national chain vacated its location in early November so the building’s landlord could prepare for an “exciting new tenant” that will be taking over the space in 2025, Wood said. The name of the new occupant has not been announced.
Aloha Poke closes
After six years downtown, Aloha Poke Co. is no longer operating at 215 N. Washington St., Wood also confirmed. The fast-casual Hawaiian restaurant, like AltaVida and Jimmy John’s, closed in early November, Wood said.
Aloha Poke opened in Naperville in August 2018. The first Aloha Poke opened two years prior in 2016 inside Chicago’s French Market. Today, it operates 18 stores across the country, according to its website.
Rosebud to reopen in 2025
Closed for renovations since August, Rosebud of Naperville anticipates reopening at 22 E. Chicago Ave. by the first or second week of January 2025, according to Nick Lombardo, chief financial and operating officer for Rosebud Restaurants.
A fixture in downtown Naperville since 1997, Rosebud decided this fall was a good time to renovate as the city worked on construction projects around the restaurant. The city’s comprehensive overhaul of Washington Street from Chicago to Benton avenues started in February and is expected to finish this month.
Rosebud, a fixture in downtown Naperville since 1997, has been closed for renovations since August and is expected to reopen in early 2025, a company representative said. (Naperville Sun file photo)
“We felt that (the restaurant) needed a fresh look,” Lombardo said. “And with all of the road construction going on, it’s been a little harder to get business. So we thought the timing of that was perfect.”
Renovations include the addition of a larger private room, a larger bar, an open window area and an enclosed outside dining area for the winter, he said.
“Overall, it’s going to be a little nicer, warmer, better-looking place for everyone to come to in Naperville,” he said.
Blackberry Market opens off Gartner Road
A fast-casual cafe and bakery chain has opened at 192 W. Gartner Road. Blackberry Market’s first day was Nov. 15, according to Jack Barth, the business’ administrative director.
Open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to early evening, Blackberry Market serves standard breakfast fare as well as soups, salads and sandwiches, among other items.
The company originated in Arkansas, according to its website. It now operates several locations across the Chicago area, including cafes in Lombard, Oak Brook, La Grange and Glen Ellyn.
