McGovern's Tavern Still Struggling After Train Derailment
The new restaurant receives assistance from the Village of Glenview, but not enough to cover all costs.
The Village of Glenview announced in November it would help businesses affected by the fatal, July train derailment by paying rent while Shermer Rd. traffic remains blocked by a Union Pacific stone bridge.
But Declan Morgan, owner of McGovern's Tavern at the corner of Shermer Rd. and Willow Rd., told the Chicago Tribune he's still going into debt because of low customer turnout.
Jashwant Patel, owner of the Wil-Sher Subway restaurant told the Chicago Tribune Glenview's financial aid is barely keeping the store operating and "there is no money left for anything."
Shermer Rd. is expected to stay closed for two years while Union Pacific designs and builds a new bridge to span the street and restore traffic to the area.
chris
6:40 am on Monday, February 25, 2013
That was always a bad location. The restaurant or whatever it was before it became McGoverns went bust long before the train derailment. Subway is a business srea lunch spot that has over-saturated their market and is at the end of their run. If you work in the business parks east of there just think of the drive full of left turns, U-turns, crazy misplaced and mis-timed traffic controls and subsequently constant gridlock you would encounter? Your lunch break would be over before you got your food. If anyone should subsidize their rent it should be Subway corporation for selling too many franchises too close together. There is a much more easily accessible Subway right next to the business parks.
Harry Gio
7:23 am on Monday, February 25, 2013
Union Pacific is certainly taking their sweet time and it is THEY that should be assisting the struggling businesses.
Mike Kruger
10:55 am on Monday, February 25, 2013
Agree with Harry Glo. Why is it the village's money rather than UP's?
Billy
11:25 am on Monday, February 25, 2013
Will anyone give a detailed explanation as to why this rebuild is going to take well over two years? This is nothing but beaurocratic red tape. The Empire State Building took a year and a half to build and that was 80 years ago. I understand that it doesn't happen overnight, but there's no reason (apart from red tape) that it couldn't be performed in under six months. We should be demanding more expediency. Just look at what this is costing us?
Stan Golovchuk
11:33 am on Monday, February 25, 2013
An explanation of the two-year time frame can be found here http://patch.com/A-xt3r
Billy
11:26 am on Monday, February 25, 2013
An illustrative example as to how an overreaching, over-controlling government is crippling us.
Alan Hoffman
12:40 pm on Monday, February 25, 2013
Subway is a good business, great parking and good food. Village support is just fine with me. Why have another business go under. McGoverns is another story. Itried the bar eatery and found the food good but the tables and booths not properly sized to the seats. They just don"tgi together. For this reasoning will no go back.
carl meier
1:20 pm on Monday, February 25, 2013
they are kinda clueless that location is mis managed and their main access is willow, I am in the industry can the village fund a project for me that would be great ! just try and read their sign....it is impossible due to the color choice....take down the cheesy banners...need a consultant ????? that project has no bussiness recieving funds.... market your tavern better, a tavern is a destination not a spur of the moment consumer decission....wake up !!!!
Mike Stroni
5:44 pm on Monday, February 25, 2013
Alan & Cari hit the nail on the head. The bridge has nothing to do with the lack of business at McGoverns.It is and always will be a terrible location with overpriced food and drink. In the last article Patch and the owner stated " we are the only Irish bar in town". Apparently Grandpa's has been an illusion for over 100 years. If the bridge would be somehow finished by summer it would have little effect on McGovern's business.
GV Mom
8:58 am on Tuesday, February 26, 2013
I agree. The one time I went to McGoverns it was dirty, and had a ton of flies buzzing around. I could not wait to get out of there. It it was good quality, people would go regardless of location.
Kavan Sidhu
1:49 am on Friday, March 15, 2013
Yes 2 years is redic. Way too long for just 1 bridge. It was supposed to be 3 months not 36 months. But finally compass road at patriot opens up and is goes to shermer so its not so bad. Now no need to go all the way to the glen and back down shermer just to get to ups. And all the way back just to go home.
Billy
9:16 am on Friday, March 15, 2013
I really is absurd. AND, for all the complaining about effect to businesses, everyone otherwise seems just a-okay with this timeline. It's a prime example of how regulation/bureaucracy prevents us from getting meaningful things done.
Yet somehow, in the downtown Loop, they are managing a complete rebuild of the Wells St. bridge over the Chicago River. It's expected to take about three months. Granted, this has probably been in the planning stages for sometime, and the parts have all been prefabricated. A bridge like that (double decked, can be raised & lowered, used by cars, train and pedestrians) is not only a far more complex endeavor but also still a valuable comparison to this wheel grinder in Northbrook. How long should the Northbrook bridge take? Is six months long enough to plan and fabricate? I think so. Three to four months to construct? Sounds more than reasonable.
Consumer Advocate
6:45 am on Monday, April 8, 2013
If they think it's bad now, wait until they have Willow and Waukegan torn up as well? We will probably be saying bye-bye to a lot of retailers in that area after this needlessly lengthy, cost prohibitive disaster gets underway.