John Bays Adds The Crystal Room To Catholic Charities Building

JOLIET, IL — Since John Bays acquired downtown's Catholic Charities Building in 2016, he has made good on his promise to make the property vibrant once again. After telling Joliet's City Council he would make $4 million in building improvements, Bays landed Illinois Marine Towing and the Will County Center for Economic Development as key tenants. In recent weeks, Harolds Chicken and Shrimp opened in the remaining first-floor space.

As regular Patch readers are aware, Harolds has been a big hit with its fried chicken, catfish and jumbo shrimp. This week, Bays Investment Corporation erected another new business sign outside the Catholic Charities property: The Crystal Room.

"Experience Joliet's Finest Venue," the business sign at 203 N. Ottawa St. reads.

Bays told Joliet Patch that The Crystal Room will occupy the lower level of his building. Bays said it will be a venue for large social events including wedding receptions.

During a May 2018 interview with Patch discussing his plans for the Catholic Charities building, Bays remarked, "This has got to be first class, and it's going to be first class."

During an interview Tuesday, Phil Petrakos told Joliet Patch that he hopes to open The Crystal Room in the coming weeks.

He said that he has applied to the city of Joliet for a liquor license. Besides wedding receptions, The Crystal Room will be ideal for banquets, anniversary parties, business luncheons, meetings and birthdays, with ample space to accommodate roughly 95 to 100 guests, Petrakos said.

The Crystal Room will live up to its name, he insisted.

"The chandeliers are very elegant," Petrakos said. "Mr. Bays did a wonderful, platinum job with everything inside."