The village board on Tuesday approved steps toward two new businesses opening in Homewood.
Don Goyo Fine Mexican Cuisine had a liquor license request approved. Love Events was given a special use permit.
Love Events plans to open at 18675 Dixie Highway, and will host yoga, hip-hop dance and step aerobics classes as well networking events, bridal and baby showers and business meetings. The 3,500-square-foot property was formerly Reflections Yoga, which closed in March.
The board needed to approve a special use permit because the property lacked enough parking spaces to be zoned a learning center. Village ordinance required 35 spaces. The lot has 23 spaces, but they’re shared with other businesses.
Because of the lack of parking, the village planning and zoning board previously voted not to recommend approving the business with four commissioners opposed and two in favor.
Owner Zenovia Love, who spoke to the board via Zoom, said she’d secured the use of 30 additional parking spaces in a vacant lot across the street. Village officials, including Mayor Richard Hofeld, expressed doubt that the lot had space for that many cars and had concerns about patrons crossing the four-lane street at night.
“I’d hate to have to tell a business that wants to come into town and bring their business here no, but we also have to consider the surrounding businesses in the area,” Trustee Lauren Roman said. “I attended yoga classes (at Reflections Yoga) and there were maybe eight people in the class and we still had a difficult time finding parking.”
The board approved the permit but only for gatherings of 15 or fewer people.
Don Goyo owner Laura Carbajal de Garcia originally approached the village about opening the restaurant at 17536 Dixie Highway in June 2019 but the project stalled in the fall. Homewood Finance Director Dennis Bubenik asked for an updated business plan and liquor license request this fall after he’d heard the project was moving forward.
It’s expected to open in the next few months.
“God bless anyone who’s willing to open any business, let alone a restaurant, in these times,” Trustee Barbara Dawkins said.