Glen Ellyn Rejects Special Use Permit Request For Beauty Parlor On Duane

GLEN ELLYN, IL — On Monday, Village of Glen Ellyn trustees voted three to two against a special use permit request for The Parlor, a beauty salon that sought to open at 524 Duane St.

The 700 square foot, formerly home to Alla Moda Boutique, has been vacant since March.

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Petitioners had requested the special use permit to allow them to operate a salon in an area designated as a C5A downtown retail core district.

Trustees Kalinich, Thompson and Bhagwakar voted against the proposal. Trustees Duncan and Christiansen voted in favor.

During Monday's meeting, some trustees who opposed the special use permit request emphasized that the site is designed for a retail tenant.

Explaining the downtown zoning, Community Development Director Jennifer Heneghan said the district is designed to "emphasize a pedestrian shopping experience."

Heneghan said that on Aug. 27, the Glen Ellyn Plan Commission had voted to recommend approval of the special use permit request. Four members had voted in favor, one voted in opposition and one member abstained from voting.

According to Heneghan, said, "In general they stated that they didn't have any objection to this specific business plan, but they were against the village granting any additional approvals for service-based businesses within the C5A District."

Petitioner Michael Hilmers and his wife, Jennifer, emphasized that The Parlor would have a retail element, offering nontoxic dyes and other sustainably sourced products. Jennifer, who is a stylist at a boutique in Hinsdale, would bring clientele from surrounding communities to the village, they stressed.

Micheal Hilmers said, "The concept is really to bring more of a higher end to the town that also offers a high-end product line that supports neighborhood that we're in and supports the income that's in the neighborhood"

He added, "We're bringing in clientele that would never be shopping if they weren't coming to see Jennifer."

Village trustees seemed at odds as they discussed the reqeust ahead of their vote.

Trustee Robert Duncan said, "I balk at the idea that any retail is preferable to a clearly thought out and established plan for a higher end business that fits the character of the community that is going to bring in clientele from other communities that the director has acknowledged is an objective and a benefit to all that's around."

Duncan stressed that he'd rather see the site occupied than vacant.

He added that it's a "great opportunity for a Glen Ellyn couple to open a business in this specific location that has a novel concept and allowing market forces to prevail."

"If we deny the permit, it's a real missed opportunity," Duncan said.

Trustee Kelli Christiansen noted that The Parlor would be open until 8 p.m. most nights of the week, which could be "an opportunity to generate traffic."

"So many times you'll see downtown dead after about five or six o'clock," Christiansen said.

Trustee Sonia Desai Bhagwakar, who ultimately voted "a reluctant no," said, "I think you'd be a great, great great addition to our town's business areas, but I'm leaning toward voting no." She said other special use permits that the board has granted in the C5A district had been hard to fill, but she doesn't think it will be hard to find a retail tenant for this site.

Trustee Kelley M. Kalinich said she thinks it's important to have a retail tenant in the spot as it's so close to what will be the new downtown community park, Prairie Path Park.

Kalinich said having a retail tenant there is "super important to help draw people into the park"

Ahead of the vote, Village President Jim Burket said, ""I echo what Trustee Duncan and Trustee Christiansen had to say."

He added, "You get the opportunity to put a business like this here one time."

Following the vote, Burket told the petitioners he hopes they can find another spot in the village to open The Parlor.