The Uptown Celebrates 25 Years: Anniversary Bash Planned for Saturday

Known to most as "the Uptown," or, in more recent years, "Gruben's,” it’s been a popular Plainfield watering hole for more than 70 years.

This week marks a quarter-century since brothers Steve Gruben and his late brother, Richard, purchased the on Lockport Street.

On Saturday, Steve Gruben will host a 25^th anniversary celebration with live music from the Chicago Blues Angels from 10 p.m. to close.

Starting at 6 p.m., guests will also be able to enjoy ice-cold drinks poured through a cocktail luge, Gruben added.

The business has always been family owned and operated.

“It’s always been a mom and pop place,” Steve said, adding he’s been able to trace the location’s history back to the early 1940s.

“This place has been a bar since 1941,” and possibly before that, he said.

In 1996, nearly a decade after purchasing the tavern, Steve Gruben bought neighboring business Rock’s Deli from Dick Rock, who went on to become mayor.

Gruben also watched downtown Plainfield change, from the years of growth following the 1990 tornado to the more recent Lockport Street streetscape project.

“People come and people go,” he said. “We’ve kind of grown with the town.”

The menu has also grown and adapted.

“The burger has always been a big thing,” he said. “Right now, I’ve got a steak fry going on Thursday nights.”

The bar has also experimented with entertainment, briefly hosting a weekly comedy night. Currently, the Uptown hosts live music every weekend and an open mic night every other Wednesday.

But he said one constant has kept the Uptown going for more than two decades.

“Create a friendly atmosphere, and people come,” he said. “Treat them they way you want to be treated when you go to a bar.”

Gruben said he wanted to do something to acknowledge the quarter-century anniversary.

“It’s been 25 good years,” he said.