Wisconsin style supper club coming to St. Charles

The owner of Flagship on the Fox sports bar in downtown St. Charles plans to open a Wisconsin style supper club next to the newly opened The Graceful Ordinary restaurant.

At their meeting Feb. 22, alderpersons on the City Council’s Government Operations Committee recommended approval of a liquor license application and a 2 a.m. late night permit for Duke’s Northwoods, located at 7 E. Main St. in downtown St. Charles. The full City Council is set to vote on the matter at its March 7 meeting.

Duke’s Northwoods would open in the space formerly occupied by Button Man printing. The space is next to The Graceful Ordinary restaurant, which opened its doors to the public in November. It is located in the former BMO Harris Bank building in downtown St. Charles.

The building is owned by Frontier Development, which also owns the building that houses Flagship on the Fox sports bar and Pollyanna Brewing Co. in downtown St. Charles. Frontier Development also owns the Arcada building, which houses the Arcada Theatre and Club Arcada.

Steve Mayer opened Flagship on the Fox in 2019. One of his partners in the venture is Jarrett Payton, a sports anchor for WGN-TV and the son of the late Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton.

Jarrett Payton, who lives in Campton Hills, also is a partner in the Duke’s Northwoods venture. The restaurant plans to open on Mother’s Day weekend in May.

“Duke’s Northwoods will bring its own feel to the area, offering unique cuisine, comfortable atmosphere and a great sports experience,” Mayer said in his business plan.

The restaurant will seat a maximum of 130 people. As proposed, the restaurant would be open from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.

The menu will feature burgers, as well as other items such as liver and onions, steak, fish ’n’ chips and a bratwurst platter. A brunch would be offered Saturday and Sunday.

Mayer said the restaurant intends to become a leader in the community by employing developmentally disabled individuals and hosting charity events.