IL Rock & Roll Museum Now Joliet Historic Landmark

JOLIET, IL — During the past 90 years, Joliet's three-story terracotta building at 9 West Cass St. has been known as the White Store, Goldblatt Brothers, Silver Dollar and most recently, By-Rite Furniture. Now, the building is being renovated into its next use, one that owner Ron Romero hopes can attract thousands of people from all over the United States and from foreign countries.

It's being converted into the Illinois Rock & Roll Museum. Last week, the Joliet City Council voted to designate Romero's property as a Joliet historic landmark. Romero raised enough money to purchase 9 W. Cass St. in 2019.

He has been busy converting the building into his new rock-n-roll museum that will showcase memorabilia and music artifacts of numerous rock and blues legends who have a connection to Illinois such as the band Chicago, Cheap Trick, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Muddy Waters and Buddy Guy.

(Patch article continues below this photo.)

During an interview last week, Romero told Joliet Patch that the historic landmark designation is an important achievement.

"It's certainly great awareness of what we're doing," Romero said. "Hopefully, it could bring tax breaks as well as funding opportunities.

"We need funding to do the HVAC (heating, ventilation, air-conditioning) and electrical work. So far, everything we've done has been on donations."

Romero said the Illinois Rock & Roll Museum project has 23,000 Facebook followers and 500 charter members and life-time members from 25 states.

"We think we'll have the first floor open next year," Romero said last week. "The idea is to do a phased floor opening, we'll open the first floor then the second and third floors."

The first floor will likely house museum memorabilia paying tribute to blues music and record companies and it will house Romero's Internet radio stations.

The three-story building, including a basement, encompasses 20,000 square feet.

For more, visit Romero's Illinois Rock & Roll website here.