This Must Be the Place Closes with Weekend Party

—known among locals for its generosity toward community groups and fundraisers—will close its doors this weekend after two and a half years in downtown Lemont.

The bar and restaurant, which offered new American cuisine and weekly concerts, will host "The Last Waltz/All-Star Jam Session" on Saturday as a farewell and thank you to its patrons. The event runs from 11:30 a.m. to close.

Owners Dan Farnesi and Bill Moffett posted the following message on their website:

"We appreciate all your support over the last two and a half years. We gave it our best shot but things don’t always work out how you plan. We have made lots of new friends and shared many good times together. We hope you enjoyed This Must Be the Place."

Farnesi and Moffett opened "The Place" in November 2008 with hopes of making it a great venue for fundraising and contributing positively to the Lemont community.

The restaurant has been used for everything from family parties to fundraisers and community assistance programs. They have hosted fundraisers for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, autism awareness, Northwest Regional Spinal Cord Institute, Michael Becker Foundation for Duel Diagnosis (Addiction/ Depression), and St. Baldrick’s Day for childhood cancer treatment and research.

The Place has also hosted multiple fundraisers for Hope and Friendship Ministries, which have benefited the Zack Wilkens Van Fund, Cory Steck Fund and Ellie Cuiching Fund. 

They even donated 10 percent of proceeds to charity every Tuesday.

“We give them a cold drink, a hot meal and live entertainment,” Farnesi said . “But we also help by being a good space to have fundraisers, and fundraisers are a great way to help a lot of people.”

In February, This Must Be the Place became the first ever winner of the Business of the Year Award.

“Dan, Bill, and This Must be the Place have a reputation for being a very caring business that promotes assisting people,” Chamber officials said in a statement. “We admire their desire to help, their unselfishness and their spirit of making a difference. Lemont is a wonderful, compassionate community to live in, and businesses and business owners who do as they do make our corner of the world a better place.”

Farnesi said it's been their pleasure to help the Lemont community.

“It’s the people who organize the fundraising events that deserve the credit," he said. "They work so hard to get people here and get raffle items, all to help the various causes. They’re amazing.”

Lemont residents reacted to the restaurant's closing on our Facebook page:

• Janet Wilcox Schue: If it isn't closed yet, could we storm the place to convince them we want them to stay open? It's so sad when the small business owner has to struggle.

• Michelle Schikora: great food and great atmosphere! it's such a shame.

• Spencer Dylan Smith: It was a nice place with good food, but the thing that made The Place stand out were its owners and employees. Easily, the friendliest place in town. I will miss having them all as my neighbors.

• Mike Ramaker: I WAS A REGULAR CUSTOMER FOR YEARS. I WOULD TAKE MY DATES THERE EVERY WEDNSDAY FOR "OPEN-MIC" AND ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY FOR ROCK BANDS, SUNDAY FOR "BIG BAND" MUSIC. I WAS PERSONAL FRIENDS WITH DAN AND BILL, THE OWNERS, AND MANY OF THEIR STAFF. ALL WERE GREAT PEOPLE AND I WILL MISS THEM ALL! SUCH A SHAME!

• Mary Niziolek Pimentel: Sad to hear it's closing. my family loved it there.

• Keith Gothard: Sad, Bill And Dan are great guys. Chicken Pablano soup from there is the best soup ive ever eaten....It just sucks that down town Lemont is absolutly the KISS OF DEATH for business, always has been since I was a little kid, and I cant see it changing anytime soon, either.

• Dwayne Wojtowicz: Gonna miss the place. Great food, great atmosphere.

• Catherine Dopak Stukel: Their onion souffle appetizer was awesome.

• Sue Stevens: shrimp poorboy !! yum !! we should all protest their closing!

• Ursula Ballard Wachowiak: I think it's really sad. My favorites are the Chicken Poblano Soup and the Eggplant Parmiagna. I think Bill and all his folks were just wonderful. It's certainly not easy owning a business these days, however, if the town of Lemont would push harder for an influx of visitors to our wonderful little town perhaps we'd still have The Place and even fill up some of the empty shops. I realize it's nice to be a somewhat quaint little suburban town, however the downtown area is not seeing its full potential and that's really very unfortunate for residents, business owners, and the town as a whole. (MARKET OUR TOWN AND MAKE US A DESTINATION)

• Tracy De Rubis Simon: I loved going there when we could get a night out. The food was great and they were such great supporters of community. I am really saddened to hear this news. If it can't make it in downtown Lemont, I am not sure many others could either.

• Ruth Jacobson Elenteny: Great food and an atmosphere for any occasion!

• Lee Schneider Welko: I agree with Keith...nothing of worth stays open very long downtown. What a shame!

• Lynn Jankowski: The owners had such a love for music ... Shame on all of us for not visiting The Place more often. Lemont will miss you :(

• Casey Bromberek: I met my John there. I was becoming a regular and he was working there at the time. He started noticing I was in every Wednesday, and Sunday. He made sure to work on the days I would stop in. Long story short, we are still together and expecting a baby in January. We will miss "The Place"

• Marie Hartell Markowski: This really makes me sad. Dan and Bill are amazing people that really supported this community. I'll miss them and that chicken soup!

• Beth Durkin: Have been going to "the Place" since it has opened and I am so sad about it's closing, my daughters will miss dancing and taking bows onstage and we will miss the owners who so graciously allowed them to do so. They have a great Family, and we were so happy to spend some time at their home away from home!!! Thanks for plenty of fun times!!!

Terri O'Neill and Erin Sauder contributed to this report.