Two Businesses Closing in Downtown Naperville

Downtown Naperville is experiencing changes with the closure of two businesses this week. Everdine’s Grilled Cheese and the Nike store are both bidding farewell to the area.

Everdine’s Grilled Cheese Closure

Everdine’s owners announced on social media that their Naperville store at 24 W. Jefferson Ave. will close on Friday without providing a reason for the decision. “We are so grateful for all our wonderful customers who stuck by and supported us through this last decade. It has been such a pleasure getting to know so many of you throughout the years,” they shared.

The restaurant, which opened in November 2016, quickly became popular. It reportedly sold between 300 to 400 sandwiches daily, as noted in a previous article. Co-owners Kelly and Brian Herkert were inspired to start the grilled cheese shop following their backpacking trip in Australia where the affordable meal of grilled cheese sandwiches played a key role. The menu offered more than a dozen sandwich combinations including a mac-and-cheese stuffed variety, a Hawaiian-themed version with pineapple and ham, and a sloppy Joe grilled cheese. Patrons could also create custom sandwiches.

The Batavia location of Everdine’s will remain open, according to their social media post. Kelly Herkert, the co-owner, did not comment further on the closure.

Nike Store Shuts Down

The 4,600-square-foot Nike store located at 217 S. Main St. also closed its doors this week. Confirmation came from Katie Wood, Executive Director of the Downtown Naperville Alliance. A message left on the store’s phone line informed customers that the closure happened on July 13.

When the store opened in November 2021, it marked Illinois’ first Live retail operation tailored to local demographics, with a focus on women’s gear and apparel. However, financial challenges have hindered Nike from keeping pace with competitors. Reuters noted that despite “modestly” exceeding fourth-quarter revenue projections, Nike’s stocks dropped about 35% this year. In April, Nike laid off 1,400 employees, mainly technology workers, after closing several retail locations including boutique fitness gyms launched in partnership with FitLab in 2023.

The closure occurs as other athletic apparel brands set up shop in downtown Naperville. Vuori, a California-based athleisure company, opened in the former Eddie Bauer location in June. FP Movement, a subsidiary of Free People, launched a store in April.

Katie Wood commented on the Nike store’s closure, reminding the community of the strong retail growth seen in 2025. She stated, “Businesses close all the time as part of an evolving downtown.” Several new businesses including Free People, Lilly Pulitzer, FP Movement, Vuori, and Regenerate, have already opened this year.