There was joy all around, and some tears shed among community members and local leaders, as they celebrated the reopening of Rosie’s Home Cookin’ Wednesday afternoon at its new location, 2155 CityGate Lane.
“We were fortunate enough to get this location over here because of Mayor Wehrli and Ken Witkowski, and the Calamos family…I am humble and very, very thankful that we’re here. This is a wonderful location,” said Lynn Lowder, owner of Rosie’s Home Cookin’, a diner in Naperville.
Lowder, a Vietnam War veteran, first opened Rosie’s Home Cookin’ in 2022 at 1567 N. Aurora Road with his business partner, Dale Eisenberg.
Named after “Rosie the Riveter,” the restaurant pays tribute to members of the military and offers daily discounted meals to veterans. It is also owned by the Veteran Business Project, a nonprofit founded by the two men, which provides training that puts veterans on a path to business ownership.
Rosie’s Home Cookin’ finds new home after facing uncertain future
The restaurant faced closure last year after losing its lease at its old site due to planned redevelopments in the area. When Naperville Mayor Scott Wehrli heard the news, he said he was determined to keep the business alive, believing it was an important part of the community.
“I started meeting with Lynn. I worked with the Naperville Development Partnership, looking at what was available in the city, and for restaurants, there was not a whole lot,” he said.
That’s when Wehrli thought of a spot at CityGate Centre, owned by local businessman John Calamos and managed by Calamos Real Estate, which he felt might be a good choice due to its space and accessibility.
He reached out to Ken Witkowksi, Calamos Real Estate senior vice president and John Calamos’ stepson, to discuss a deal for Lowder and Eisenberg.
“My conversation with Ken couldn’t have gone better. They went up there the same day, and the rest is history,” he said.
Shared military ties helped seal the deal
After learning about the restaurant and the Veteran Business Project, Witkowski, a veteran from a military family, said he was immediately on board to help.
“My father, John Calamos, served in the Air Force. I served in the Army. I do have a son on active duty with the U.S. Navy right now. So people that sacrifice for others have always been important,” said Witkowski.
“I really like the mission of Rosie’s and Veteran Business Project, so we just knew that we had to make this happen…In real estate, you try to do good deals, but this was the right deal.”
Preparing the new space came with a tight budget, Witkowski said, but after explaining the cause to contractors, several donated resources and time to the restaurant.
“Everybody wanted to get this project across the goal line…It’s a really special place. And we’re blessed to have them on the campus here at CityGate Centre,” he said.
Lowder was nothing short of thankful to those who supported Rosie’s Home Cookin’ and helped give it a new home to continue serving the community and those who serve their country.
“There was such a wonderful feeling of gratitude and thankfulness for these people who came out. We know them all. People with good hearts, [who] care for our veterans… I’m just so incredibly grateful,” he said.
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