Steak fry, Chamber luncheon among final events at D’Andrea Banquet Hall before fire

In between D’Andrea Banquets and Conference Center’s official closing in February and a large fire Saturday that left the building almost completely destroyed, the venue was able to hold several final events, including one just a week before the fire.

As the Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department’s investigation continues and questions remain about the site’s future, many residents and local business leaders lamented the loss of a decades-old venue that hosted a variety of community events, reunions and weddings.

Crystal Lake Fire Chief Paul DeRaedt said he had his 10-year high school reunion there.

“It’s a sad situation,” Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce president Bill Eich said. “I feel for the owners and the company. I’m glad that nobody got hurt, but it’s always a tragedy when you see something like that.”

One of the final events was the Crystal Lake Lions Club’s annual steak fry on April 9, one week before the fire.

Former Lions Club president Randy Funk, who still is active with the club and currently is the Algonquin Township supervisor, said he was told by the D’Andrea owners that the steak fry was planned to be the last event at the banquet hall.

“It was the best we’ve ever had,” Funk said of the steak fry. “We raised about $8,000. It was sad knowing there was a very good chance it was our last fundraiser there. We were hoping that somebody might buy the space who does the same kind of thing, but obviously that situation’s changed.”

Funk, who got married at the venue when it was the Hob Nob restaurant, said he’d thanked one of the owners that night, Louis Spentzos, for everything.

The Spentzos family has owned the site since 1983, the Crystal Lake Historical Society said in a Facebook post.

The site was first used as a gas station and barbecue, Marie’s Place, beginning in 1934, and later became the Branded Steakhouse, before being bought by the Spentzos family, the historical society said.

The family had been considering selling the site before announcing the venue would closing on Feb. 28, as the business took a major hit during the pandemic, Funk said.

“During this unprecedented time, it has become increasingly difficult to staff and provide the high level of service we demand of ourselves,” D’Andrea management said in a statement on Jan. 25. “To all the friends and loyal customers we’ve made throughout the years, we thank you for your support and patronage.”

Neither Eich nor Funk had spoken with the owners since the fire, they said.

Attempts to reach owners Peter and Louis Spentzos were unsuccessful, but Andy Spentzos, Peter Spentzos’ son who said he “grew up in that building,” named his restaurant in Chandler, Arizona, the Hob Nob Sports Grill to honor the restaurant that predated the D’Andrea banquet hall in the same location.

Fox River Grove resident Mary Schepp, who is an ambassador for the Cary-Grove Area Chamber of Commerce, said the Hob Nob was aptly named as it was “this big grandiose dance club” and described D’Andrea as “an amazing venue” overall.

“I can’t tell you how many weddings I’ve gone to there,” Schepp said of D’Andrea. “It’s sad as it was an old building and the business owners need to decided whether it’s worth fixing or to cut their losses.”

Schepp said she knew the Spentzos family from all the business and community events there and said they “have always been wonderful people.”

Real estate firm Marcus and Millichap, who is managing the sale of the property, declined to comment on the situation Monday.

The listing does not include a sale price; instead the listing includes an request for offers and suggests that the building could be repurposed for another use or demolished.

The investigation into the cause of the fire could take some time, as the building remained unstable as of Monday morning and a structural engineer had to evaluate the site first before investigators could even get into the building and gather evidence, DeRaedt said.