Old Darien Eatery 'Ideal' For Marijuana Store: Official

DARIEN, IL — Darien is facing stiff competition for marijuana stores, so it should rezone the old Steak 'n Shake for such a use, an alderman said Tuesday.

At a City Council meeting, Alderman Eric Gustafson said the old restaurant, 2019 W. 75th St., is next to Home Depot, a bank and a shopping center.

On the south side, a "substantial" fence and shrubbery separate the building from houses, which are about 200 feet away, Gustafson said.

"I feel that this location is the ideal spot for a marijuana store," Gustafson said.

The city, he said, should rezone soon rather than wait for a prospective marijuana business to come forward. That way, he said, the city can be prepared to compete with the likes of Naperville and Westmont for the "hefty" tax money from such businesses.

He proposed the City Council add the issue to its meeting agenda for March 1.

When Mayor Joseph Marchese asked who was also interested in taking up the topic, aldermen Tom Chlystek, Lester Vaughan and Thomas Belczak raised their hands. They, along with Gustafson, voted to allow marijuana stores in Darien in 2019. So far, the city has none.

The opponents of such businesses in Darien are aldermen Ted Schauer, Mary Sullivan and Joseph Kenny.

At its next meeting, the council is set to decide whether to hold a public hearing on rezoning the old Steak 'n Shake. If a hearing is held, the city would notify neighbors, so they could weigh in on the idea, officials said.

Gustafson first brought up the idea of a marijuana business in the old Steak 'n Shake at a council meeting earlier this month.