Sandwich’s Sandwiches could open downtown by next month, owner says

Sandwich residents may soon have a new downtown restaurant to enjoy breakfast and coffee or sandwiches and even craft beer.

Luke Goucher, restaurateur and co-founder of Illinois Crafted hospitality group, said he is hopeful his new restaurant, Sandwich’s Sandwiches, will be open by Christmas at 206 E. Church St.

Goucher said the restaurant will be open for breakfast and lunch during the week and for dinner on weekends. It will double as a coffee house with a full barista and will serve breakfast sandwiches and coffee from a sister restaurant, Soul Loco, in Maple Park.

Goucher said he also hopes to serve craft beer and mead from Obscurity Brewing and Craft Mead, another Illinois Crafted restaurant in Elburn.

“There’s going to be a culinary aspect to the sandwiches that you can’t get everywhere anymore,” Goucher said.

Goucher first presented his plans for Sandwich’s Sandwiches before the City Council at a June 20 Committee of the Whole meeting.

Goucher said his restaurant still needs approval from the Dekalb County Health Department, a process he expects to go smoothly. He’d also need City Council approval on a liquor license to serve alcohol, but that could happen after the restaurant opens.

Goucher and his business partner, Sean McDowell, have owned the building on Church Street for five years and have been leasing the ground-level units to local businesses.

The storefront that will soon be Sandwich’s Sandwiches was occupied last by Burless Bakery, but has been vacant since 2019 except for a brief stint when it served as a COVID-19 testing facility.

Goucher said with much of the equipment and inventory ready to be installed, once he receives final approval, finishing the space should be quick and easy. He said he expects the restaurant will be open by the end of January at the latest, but hopes to be open before Christmas.

Goucher said he also has plans for a drive-thru in back of the building. Though it is not expected to be part of the original construction plans, Goucher said the drive-thru is a long term priority for the location.

In July, Goucher’s restaurant group purchased Corner Grind, a coffee and sandwich shop in Elburn, but maintained the original staff and did not alter the menu.

Goucher said he purchased the shop because it was a successful, busy location with a similar business model to what he envisioned for Sandwich’s Sandwiches, and he wanted to learn from it.

“We bought it because we loved what it was, we didn’t want to change anything,” Goucher said. “We’ll definitely lean on their expertise.”

Goucher said he grew up in Geneva, and McDowell’s sister owns Olde Tyme Inn in downtown Sandwich, though her bar is not affiliated with Illinois Crafted.

Goucher said he and McDowell have spent a lot of time in Sandwich since they met in college and have grown very fond of the city.

Goucher entered into the restaurant industry about five years ago when he opened Lodi Tap House in Maple Park. Since then, his hospitality group opened several restaurants and has several more in the works.

Nicole Bergner, director of operations for the Illinois Crafted hospitality group, is heading the operation in Sandwich.

Bergner said the space is going to be bright, colorful and lively, with plans for murals incorporating subjects that represent Sandwich’s history with 1980s pop art themes and, eventually, live music.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” Bergner said. “We’re super excited to be here, I think it’s going to be a great addition to Sandwich and we’ve already got some locals that will be working in the establishment.”