Jexal's 'Wing-Zeria' sets tentative open date in McHenry

McHenry’s new “Wing-Zeria” has planned an opening date.

Jexal’s, located at 1260 N. Green St., on the corner of Green Street and Route 120 downtown, should open for dinner Dec. 17, McHenry Economic Development Director Doug Martin said.

Mike Dumelle and co-owner Joel Lopez-Gomez first went before the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission with the plan to construct a 4,700-square-foot restaurant on a vacant parcel in April. The property formerly housed a different wings and pizza restaurant that burned down in 2006.

The restaurant’s name is a mash-up of Dumelle’s daughter’s name – Jessica – and his business partner’s daughter’s name – Alexa. Dumelle has said the place will offer a casual, family-friendly setting and also cater to the varying demographics in McHenry.

Live entertainment and outdoor seating are planned for the space.

The restaurant plans to open at 4 p.m. Dec. 17 with full hours and delivery service to begin at 11 a.m. the next day, Martin said.

“Our goal was to open right, not quickly,” the owners said in a social media statement. “Six months was not bad for a ground up build.”

Dumelle has said the restaurant will not only offer wings and pizza, as its name suggests, but also globally inspired fare. Jexal’s plans to offer Mexican, American, Italian, Asian and Greek meals.

Jexal’s will be the second new restaurant to open on Green Street in McHenry this month. Hub Market, located at 1210 N. Green St., held its grand opening Monday.

The butcher shop also offers a bar, deli and restaurant that serves cold and hot sandwiches, cheese and meat plates and homemade soups.

Planet Fitness, located in the former Best Buy in the Shops at Fox River off Richmond Road, should open sometime in January, Martin said.

The national gym chain announced plans for its new location in August. Planet Fitness operates more than 1,500 locations, including one in Crystal Lake – its only McHenry County location.

The McHenry center will occupy about 18,000 square feet in the 30,364-square-foot building. It will join more than 20 stores in the shopping complex that straddles Johnsburg and McHenry.