‘Artisan Urban Market’ In the Works for Downtown Plainfield

An “urban market” offering a restaurant, brewery and banquet space is in the works for the old 1900s trolley barn in downtown Plainfield.

Rafael Gomez, Jessica Gomez and Dale Lewis of Minor Threat Restaurant Group – the same team behind Plainfield’s popular Sovereign restaurant and Crusade Burger Bar in Yorkville – are behind the project, according to the development’s Facebook page.

Known as The Sanctuary Plainfield, the 12,000-square-foot former trolley barn at 24216 W. Lockport Street is currently being renovated as a restaurant/retail concept.

“We are going to put together an investment opportunity,” Minor Threat owner/partner Dale Lewis said in a video to promote the site to potential tenants late last year. A GoFundMe campaign launched Friday looks to raise $50,000 to fund the project.

In the video, Lewis said the space, currently under construction, will have a “mall-type environment” with a central bathroom, plus a “higher-end Southern dining experience” known as Swamp Lilly, a new brewery called Devout Brewing, an outdoor patio with seating and a fire pit and a “Mexico City street food concept” called Sugar Skull.

The Sanctuary will also reportedly have banquet space to host weddings and events, and hopes to attract tenants such as a bakery, butcher shop, coffee roaster and distillery, Lewis said. He said the space will be ready by November.

According to its Facebook page, there will be 21 parking spaces on site and valet service.

While the concept is new to Plainfield, the name isn’t. Before it was known as Baci Ristorante, a now-vacant former church just down Lockport Street housed a restaurant also called The Sanctuary.

A video on Facebook shows renderings of the completed Sanctuary Plainfield, as well as progress on the site:

Downtown Plainfield has seen several new restaurants open in recent years, including Capri Sogno, Mora Asian Fusion and the new Opera House restaurant.