A lease has been executed between Veteran Business Project, Inc., a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that owns and operates Rosie’s Home Cookin’, and 2155 CityGate Lane LLC, represented by Calamos Real Estate LLC. The agreement facilitates the relocation of the retro-style diner to a 4,015 square-foot restaurant space at Calamos Property Holdings LLC-owned CityGate Centre in Northwest Naperville.
Rosie’s honors veterans by serving as a “Living Business School” providing hands-on training for armed-forces veterans with entrepreneurial aspirations. The seven-year lease term will commence on or before Nov. 1 of this year and the restaurant is planned to open in the high-visibility, end-cap space at the Ferry Rd. entrance to CityGate Centre this fall.
Rosie’s, established in Naperville in 2022, quickly became a local and regional favorite breakfast and lunch destination. Founded by Naperville resident and Vietnam Marine Veteran Lynn Lowder, Rosie’s celebrates and holds a space for all U.S. veterans who proudly and bravely served. The restaurant is among many success stories of Veteran Business Project, co-founded by Lowder and restauranteur Dale Eisenberg, to promote small business opportunities for military, veterans and spouses.
Anchored by Hotel Arista and the Calamos Investments Building, the 31-acre CityGate Centre along Rte. 59 between I-88 and Ferry Rd., was developed by local businessman and Vietnam veteran John P. Calamos, Sr.
“Supporting veterans’ causes is a longstanding priority for Mr. Calamos and integral to the culture of all the Calamos companies,” said Calamos Real Estate SVP and Designated Managing Broker Ken Witkowski. “We look forward to adding Rosie’s to the great dining selections at CityGate Centre, and we are extremely proud to have them here.”
The diner’s name was inspired by Norman Rockwell’s “Rosie the Riveter” image that received broad attention when published on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post magazine in 1943 on Memorial Day. Lowder, inspired by the dedication of the men and women who served in the U.S. Armed Forces and to support veteran entrepreneurs, chose the icon for the retro-style diner.
“Opening this diner was a dream of mine, and it has been amazing to see it grow. Rosie’s has become a place where everyone can feel at home, and where we also honor and support veterans,” said Lowder. “I am grateful to the Naperville community for embracing us and supporting our mission.
“Moving to CityGate Centre gives us a chance to keep growing that mission and create more opportunities for veterans in business.”
Lowder also thanked Calamos Real Estate—the leasing agent and property manager for CityGate Centre, and the licensed general contractor managing the restaurant renovation—for believing in Rosie’s and helping it take this next step.
“Rosie’s is a neighborhood diner, and a great example of what veteran-owned businesses bring to a community,” said Eisenberg. “I am excited about this next chapter for Rosie’s at CityGate Centre. Rosie’s shows how Veteran Business Project can help veterans turn ideas into successful businesses, and I am eager to see where we go from here.”
At CityGate Centre, the best attributes of an urban neighborhood and a suburban oasis come together: It’s a walkable community with award-winning fine dining, casual fare and entertainment, green space, a Forbes-rated, AAA Four Diamond hotel, healthcare, spa & fitness facilities, luxury apartments, Class A office and retail, and ample parking. It’s easily accessible via the state and interstate highway systems, and the Illinois Prairie Path.
Calamos Real Estate LLC, a subsidiary of Calamos Property Holdings LLC, is focused on real estate activities throughout the United States, including acquisitions, development opportunities and joint ventures. The firm’s flagship development, CityGate Centre in Naperville, is a unique mixed-use development offering superior leasing opportunities for corporate and commercial tenants, as well as high-caliber property management and construction management services.