07/27/2026
As the owner of Bean Bar, this is particularly difficult to read.
When we made the decision to invest heavily in Meadow Plaza, we did so because we were repeatedly told by the property owners that they were not planning to sell the shopping center. We were told their focus was on improving the plaza, cleaning it up, and bringing in quality businesses that would revitalize the center.
That is consistent with the August 14, 2024 communication in these FOIA records:
“Following those discussions they’ve concluded that they will keep it as a retail center and work on cleaning it up and obtaining a mix of high quality tenants that will bring vibrancy to the center. Jay Heitman said if someone were to offer to buy the site they wouldn’t ignore that, but this is how they plan to proceed at the moment.”
That vision is exactly what we believed in.
We invested lifetime savings into Bean Bar, signed a long-term lease, hired employees, and committed ourselves to this town.
At the same time, these FOIA documents show that Village officials were actively involved in redevelopment discussions over an extended period. The chronology documents Village staff coordinating meetings with Heitman Realty and multiple developers, discussing redevelopment concepts, economic incentives, TIF eligibility, preliminary applications, and following up on potential residential proposals.
I’m not suggesting these documents prove the Village forced anyone to “sell”. However, they do show that the Village was far more involved in making introductions and facilitating residential redevelopment discussions than many residents may have realized.
As someone whose livelihood and investment are directly affected, it’s difficult not to ask questions. If the stated plan in August 2024 was to retain Meadow Plaza as a retail center and recruit high-quality tenants, what changed? And what role did the ongoing residential redevelopment discussions between Village officials and specifically “residential” developers play in that change?
Those are fair questions for both us business owners and residents to ask.
Bean Bar invested here in good faith because we believed in the future of this plaza. We became one of those “high-quality tenants” the owners said they wanted to attract. It’s disappointing to now find ourselves facing the possibility of displacement after making such a significant commitment to this community.
Out of respect for Bean Bar, our team, and the community we proudly serve, we respectfully ask that, until the affected businesses and residents receive clear, transparent, and logical answers, Village Board members refrain from using Bean Bar as a venue to hold meetings or discuss the proposed Meadow Plaza redevelopment.
Bean Bar was built to bring people together, and everyone is welcome through our doors. However, given what many of us believe has been an unfair process, the erosion of trust felt by local businesses, and the uncertainty surrounding a proposal that could directly impact our business, our employees, and our future, we do not believe it is appropriate for those discussions to take place inside our establishment at this time.
(Period)
