Closure of Two Businesses in Downtown Naperville

Downtown Naperville is bidding farewell to two well-known businesses this week: Everdine’s Grilled Cheese and the Nike store.

Everdine’s Grilled Cheese

Everdine’s owners announced on social media that their Naperville location at 24 W. Jefferson Ave. will close Friday. They didn’t provide a reason for the closure.

“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,” the social media post expressed.

Everdine’s opened in November 2016 and quickly became popular, selling between 300 to 400 sandwiches daily. Co-owners Kelly and Brian Herkert were inspired to open their grilled cheese shop after backpacking in Australia. During their trip, grilled cheese sandwiches provided a quick and inexpensive meal solution.

The restaurant offered a diverse selection of grilled cheese combinations, including mac-and-cheese stuffed, Hawaiian-themed with pineapple and ham, and sloppy Joe grilled cheese. Guests could also customize their sandwich.

The Batavia location will continue operating, as confirmed by social media. Attempts to reach co-owner Kelly Herkert for comment were unsuccessful.

Nike Store

The Nike store at 217 S. Main St. has closed permanently, confirmed by Downtown Naperville Alliance Executive Director Katie Wood. The business closed on July 13 according to the store phone message.

The store opened in November 2021 as the brand’s first Live retail operation in Illinois, focusing on the demographics of the area. It concentrated on women’s gear and apparel, among other products.

Nike has faced challenges staying competitive, resulting in slow recovery. Despite modestly beating fourth-quarter revenue estimates, Nike’s stocks have dropped about 35% this year. Due to difficulties, Nike has shuttered some locations and laid off 1,400 employees, mainly in technology roles in April.

Nike’s earlier closure of boutique fitness gyms, Nike Studios, launched in partnership with FitLab, marked another strategic change. A Nike spokesperson did not comment on the store closure.

Downtown Naperville sees new athletic apparel businesses emerging. Vuori and FP Movement are recent additions from California-based athleisure brands.

Executive Director Katie Wood highlighted that despite closures, downtown Naperville had significant retail activity in 2025 with openings from brands such as Free People, Lilly Pulitzer, FP Movement, Vuori, and Regenerate.

Businesses frequently close in the rhythm of an evolving downtown, Wood noted.