A couple of chats with Mayor Scott Wehrli and a mutual desire to assist veterans has put a popular Naperville restaurant on the move.
Vietnam War veteran Lynn Lowder opened Rosie’s Home Cooking in November 2022 at 1567 N. Aurora Road. It caters to veterans, even with a name based on Norman Rockwell’s “Rosie the Riveter” painting.
Rosie’s new location will be at CityGate Centre, which is owned by John Calamos, who also a Vietnam veteran.
The opening is expected in November at 2155 CityGate Lane, Lowder said.
Wehrli played a role by getting the two businessmen together after his “dear friend” Lowder told him they were losing their lease.
Wehrli started searching for a new site. “It was kind of a challenge,” the mayor said.
He thought about the Calamos campus “and how it’s been a great attribute to our community, and they had a restaurant site up there that I knew had been closed. You’ve got two guys with amazing things in common. They were both in Vietnam around the same time, both big veteran advocates and they never met each other,” Wehrli said.
He reached out to Ken Witkowski, who besides being Calamos’ stepson is also Calamos Real Estate senior vice president and designated managing broker.
“It’s a really great matchup,” Wehrli said of Rosie’s move to CityGate.
Witkowski recalls getting a call from Wehrli. A meeting was arranged and a match was made. Rosie’s has a seven-year lease for the former site of Tap In Pub.
Witkowski, whose son Trevor serves in the Navy, said adding Rosie’s to what’s offered at CityGate Centre “is our opportunity to do the right thing.”
“We’ve always tried to be good stewards of the community, good neighbors,” Witkowski said Friday.
And, since Tap In Pub was basically a restaurant, not a lot of renovations are needed to get the space ready for Rosie’s, he said.
Dale Eisenberg, Lowder’s business partner, liked what he saw at the former Tap In Pub site, which at roughly 4,000 square feet is about the same size of Rosie’s current location.
Witkowski especially likes how the Rosie’s owners offer the Veterans Business Project, which provides training for future business owners in various endeavors, not just food service.
“Supporting veterans’ causes is a longstanding priority for Mr. Calamos and integral to the culture of all the Calamos companies,” he said.
Veteran Business Project is the 501(c)3 nonprofit that owns and operates Rosie’s Home Cookin.’
As word has spread around town, Witkowski said he’s been approached by residents and veterans groups excited about the move. So are Lowder and Eisenberg.
“Truth be known, a new landlord came in and the rent (at Rosie’s current location) went up very high,” Lowder said. “We spoke with the mayor and let him know.”
Eisenberg said “not only do we have a space for our business school (at the CityGate location), but they can work in the morning, stay in the hotel and have an evening class.”
Looking back, Lowder, 79, said the move is the result of “the good Lord looking over our shoulder,” adding “the Lord has gotten us right where we’re supposed to be.”
In a prepared statement, he said opening the diner “was a dream of mine, and it has been amazing to see it grow. Rosie’s has become a place where everyone can feel at home, and where we also honor and support veterans.
“I am grateful to the Naperville community for embracing us and supporting our mission. Moving to CityGate Centre gives us a chance to keep growing that mission and create more opportunities for veterans in business.”
Steve Metsch is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.