New Lenox officials are excited for a country bar that will not only replace a long vacant building but add a new entertainment option for village residents.
Officials said the former TJ’s Bar and Grill, 222. W. Maple St., has been purchased and is expected to be renovated into a Tru Country Bar and Grill similar to the owners’ Channahon location.
The former TJ’s has been vacant at least 20 or 25 years, New Lenox Mayor Tim Baldermann said. He noted he moved to the village in 1994 and likely visited the venue once.
“It’s been an absolute eyesore,” Baldermann said. “The exterior wasn’t in bad condition, but it has been sitting vacant.”
He said the structure is solid.
“The bones are pretty good, but they will have to do a lot of work on the inside,” Baldermann said.
There is no timeline yet for the restaurant, but it is likely to open sometime next year, Baldermann said. The owners, who are New Lenox residents, indicated they weren’t planning to move slow, he said.
“People are really excited when they heard this will be coming,” Baldermann said. “We are excited to see this happen. It will offer a new amenity for our residents.”
Already, the former brown TJ’s sign has been covered up, announcing the new Tru Country II Bar and Grill will be coming soon.
“It’s official. Tru Country Bar and Grill is coming to New Lenox,” owner Eden Wiecheck recently announced on Facebook. “Super excited to bring this to my town. We are now the proud owners of the old TJ’s Bar.”
Tru Country, which has a location at 25365 S. Fryer St., Channahon, bills itself as having the best-themed menu, unbeatable drink specials and live music.
Baldermann said the village doesn’t have anything like it in town, which makes the redevelopment an asset to the community. People expressed interest in redeveloping the property in the past, but it never came to fruition, he said. Key to getting the property renovated was being able to acquire an adjacent lot for parking, he said.
Nancy Dye, economic development director for New Lenox, said the owners plan to invest about $1 million into the renovation. They are working with the village staff on plans, but they met with officials earlier this year, who said they liked the concept and it was a good fit for the village.
Dye said it’s good news for New Lenox.
“Residents are always looking for a new experience,” she said. “We don’t have a country bar and restaurant in town.”
Michelle Mullins is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
