City Council Rejects Zoning Variance for Empty Bar on Raynor Avenue

The Joliet City Council rejected a zoning variance to turn an empty bar on Raynor Avenue into a party-supply store and carryout restaurant in a 5-2 vote on Tuesday, September 5.

According to the Patch website, Jaime and Norma Martinez were planning on selling dresses and accessories for First Communions and Baptisms. They also intended on selling soda, candy, piñatas and other party supplies. The couple then planned on opening up on weekends to cook food for carryout orders such as tamales, menudo, tortillas and quesadillas.

The former pub is a little brick building with a parking lot at 1214 North Raynor Avenue. Joliet City Council member Jan Quillman told the Patch website that the building had been the site of several failed businesses in the past. These include My Three Sons, Garnsey's III and most recently, Riley's Bleachers.

(Photo taken by Mat Tuck)

Riley’s Bleachers Pizza and Pub has been closed since 2013 and the building has been empty ever since. A zoning variance would have allowed the Martinez’s to reopen the building despite it being in the middle of a residential variance. "I mean, who ever heard of a party store and a carryout food store in the middle of a neighborhood,” said Quillman at a Joliet Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. "I just do not believe that this is a good fit for a residential neighborhood.”

The vote was 5-2 to reject the zoning variance for the party supply store/carry out restaurant. Council members Pat Mudron and Mike Turk’s votes to allow the zoning variance were not enough to approve it. For now, the building will remain closed. Only time will tell what the city will decide to do with the closed location.