Owner Dan Marguerite at Backyard BBQ in Wilmette .
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOEL LERNER/JWC MEDIA
WILMETTE – An unassuming former garage at 535 Green Bay Road has been transformed into the Backyard Barbecue Store’s new location, with a top-to-bottom rehab resulting in a charming yet rustic new space.
The building, behind Millen Hardware and Tsing Tao restaurant, was most recently a car wash, but it was built in the 1950s as an alignment shop. Backyard Barbecue owner and Wilmette native Dan Marguerite had a vision for the building that included rehabbing it from the outside in. “We started just with a shell,” Marguerite said.
Having been built with a team of locals — architect Chuck Cook, landscape designer Jim O’Brien and contractor Michael Coletto — the Backyard Barbecue’s new location is spectacular. “I still walk in here and love the way it looks,” remarked Marguerite, who seems stunned by the building’s transformation.
Many of the building’s original elements were exposed and restored to create a large open space where Marguerite can display grills and accessories, and to conduct classes and hold events. The building’s original concrete floors were sandblasted and coated, and the dark wood beam ceiling is fully exposed. The building’s original glass garage door remains and skylights trimmed with rustic barn wood were installed in the ceiling to shed ample light on the space. Elements from the outside were brought inside to tie it all together, such as the metal corrugated siding that also adorns the women’s bathroom.
“I would love for people to come see it. I am really happy with the way it turned out,” Marguerite said.
Customers enter through an outside brick patio, outfitted with two Big Green Eggs, a gas grill and a pizza oven set into a stone chimney. At the center of the showroom is a patio display, which features a DCS grill, Big Green Egg and a beverage area, all set into stonework with ample countertops. Everything is fully functional so customers can see how things work, such as the heaters and flat screen T.V. mounted on the overhead pergola.
One side of the showroom features many of the grills and accessories that have made Backyard Barbecue a grilling destination. Marguerite can now display even more models from each brand of grills he carries. A variety of different size Big Green Eggs are on display, as well as grills by Weber, Kalamazoo and various other brands.
On the opposite side of the store is the event space, which includes a DCS grill surrounded by a 14-seat bar where people can watch a cooking demonstration. During events, customers can sit at a zinc-topped bar where Marguerite plans to eventually sell his own beer brewed on the premises. Behind the bar is a fully glassed-in room where the brewing will take place. A full kitchen and storage area sits behind a display of wood and charcoal, with sliding barn doors that circle back into the store.
The additional space will allow Marguerite to hold events while the store remains open, something he couldn’t do at his former location. He’ll continue to host events of up to 40 people that include dinners, grilling classes and private gatherings. The first event in the new space will be an office post-holiday party for about 20 people. The line-up includes a beer dinner with Evanston’s Sketchbook Brewery, a Mardi Gras event and a steak class taught by Joe Spera of Al’s Meat Market.
Marguerite, who grew up in Wilmette, is excited to be a part of the village’s business revitalization. “What has happened to this town is awesome. It has changed so much in the 13 years my business has been here,” he said.
Marguerite expects to continue to draw customers from all over the region. “I like to draw people from everywhere to see the wonderful little town of Wilmette,” he remarked.
The Backyard Barbecue is located at 535 Green Bay Road, Wilmette. For more information go to www.backyardbarbecuestore.com.
The new Backyard BBQ in Wilmette. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOEL LERNER/JWC MEDIA
Owner Dan Marguerite puts a Weber 22-inch grill together with employee Mike Crnich at Backyard BBQ in Wilmette.
There’s more than just bbq at Wilmette’s Backyard BBQ
The Big Green Egg