5101 Mochel Drive

Before the addition of Mochel Drive in 2006, this location was 945 Burlington Avenue. In the 1940s, Eichmann Motor Sales sold Nash automobiles here. From the 1950s through 1970s, this location became headquarters for the Downers Grove Police and Court. When the building was torn down, the site became a parking lot until 2006. At that time, Acadia on the Green, a 124-unit condo development was built on this and surrounding land. In 2010, owners Tim Canning and Shaun Black opened Lemon Tree, as a combination grocery store and restaurant. Lemon Tree was later replaced in 2016 by Cadence Kitchen with owners Tim Canning and Todd Davies.

Summary

Before the addition of Mochel Drive in 2006, this location was 945 Burlington Avenue. In the 1940’s, Eichmann Motor Sales sold Nash automobiles at this location. Later the Downers Grove Police and Court headquartered here from 1959 to the 1979. The location was a parking lot until 2006 when the 124-unit Acadia on the Green was built on this and surrounding land. In 2010, owners Tim Canning and Shaun Black opened Lemon Tree Grocer as a combination grocery store and restaurant. Lemon Tree was replaced by Cadence Kitchen in 2016 with owners Tim Canning and Todd Davies.

Building History

Early Years

This location was originally residential and not part of the core business district. Early Sanborn Maps show the lots laid out for houses.

Eichmann Motor Sales (before 1945-1950s)

After World War II, Eichmann Motors built a new building from which to sell Nash automobiles and International Harvester Trucks. Note the signage for both on the building in the picture to the right. That building was located slightly west of the building Cadence is in. The approximate location of the building was nearer to Mochel Drive where the plaza in front of Cadence Restaurant and Company is located. This business remained at this location until it moved a few blocks away to 4934 Main Street in the mid-1950s.

Phonebook Warehouse (1956-1957)

In 1956 and 1957, the building was used for the storage and staging for the distribution of local phone books. Ads were placed for both men and women with cars to earn $11 to $13 per route to deliver and pickup old phone books.

Downers Grove Police and Court (1959- 1979)

In 1959, the Downers Grove Police relocated into the building used by Eichmann Motor Sales. The building was also used for public service meetings. After a couple decades in this location, the police station moved to a newly built police station at 825 Burlington Avenue in 1979. Highlighting the new modern architecture, a heading in the local newspaper was titled “That S&L is a Police Station”.

Parking Lot (1980-2000s)

To fulfill the demand for more commuter parking, the existing building was torn down and more land acquired on the block to build a parking lot. The parking lot was in service for the next three decades. Once the village constructed a new parking garage a block south, the land was targeted for new development as part of the village’s strategic plans.

Lemon Tree Grocer and Zest Bistro (2010-2015)

In 2010, owners Tim Canning and Shaun Black opened Lemon Tree Grocer at the corner of Burlington and Mochel Drive in one of the new Acadia on the Green buildings. The concept was to have a grocery store with a restaurant inside. The restaurant went by the name Zest Bistro. The restaurant received national fame in April of 2015 when it was featured on the Food Network TV show, Restaurant: Impossible. The restaurant closed for a remodel at the end of 2015 but never did reopen.

Cadence Kitchen and Company (2016-present)

Lemon Tree owner Tim Canning and new partner Todd Davies opened Cadence Kitchen and Company in the old Lemon Tree space in 2016. The grocery store is now gone and according to their website the remodeled interior is described as, “an elevated and fresh aesthetic encompasses the many rooms and industrial bar to create an urban dining experience that is undeniable.”