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Hometown Coffee & Juice selected for Brush Hill train station; lease presented as first read
Summary
The Hinsdale board heard a first read April 14 on a proposed lease for Hometown Coffee & Juice at the Brush Hill train station. Key terms presented include an 11‑year lease, two five‑year options, tenant build‑out investment of $1.25 million and opening targeted by year‑end; the lease will return for a second read and vote next meeting.
Village leaders on April 14 unveiled the village’s preferred tenant for the historic Brush Hill train station: Hometown Coffee & Juice. The board received a first read of the proposed lease and a presentation from owner Lou Ruben, who described Hometown as an "all‑day, all‑age, everyday cafe" that emphasizes scratch food and community hospitality.
Trustees outlined major lease points at the meeting: an 11‑year primary term with two optional five‑year extensions; base rent beginning at about $31 per square foot and escalating to roughly $42 per square foot by year 11; the tenant is responsible for utilities and property taxes; Hometown agreed to invest approximately $1.25 million in the train station build‑out; rent abatement of up to two years is tied to the time needed for the interior build‑out.
Lou Ruben, founder and owner, described the concept and local fit: “We really define ourselves as an all day, all age, everyday cafe,” he said, explaining the company’s presence in North Shore communities and its emphasis on multi‑generational hospitality.
The proposal also described operational plans including weekday hours (targeted 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.) and expanded patio space adjacent to the tracks; some design elements (terrazzo and wainscoting) will be preserved as historical features. Village staff noted that interior and exterior changes will be subject to plan commission, historic preservation commission and board approvals as required.
The item was presented as a first read and trustees moved to treat it as a second read for final action at the next meeting; no lease approval was completed April 14.
Why it matters: The selection fills a high‑visibility historic space and is expected to affect downtown dining options, pedestrian activity, and sales‑tax receipts; the tenant’s committed build‑out expenditure was a factor in the village’s selection.
What’s next: Trustees expect a second read and vote at the following meeting, at which finalized lease documents and any outstanding plan or preservation approvals will be considered.
