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The Brothers Marthaler Advance Plans For You To Spin And Win


Luke and Jake Marthaler, Spins and Wins
Brothers Luke and Jake Marthaler plan to open a new business in the first block of South Orchard Drive named “Spins and Wins.” There will be a laundromat and a separate section that will include video gaming and beer, wine, and food. The two sections of the business will be separate. The Village Board granted a liquor license to the two on January 22, 2018. (Photo: Gary Kopycinski)

Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- Jake and Luke Marthaler have plans for a new business in Orchard Plaza where you can spin and win. The brothers, both graduates of Marian Catholic High School, were approved for a Class L liquor license for their new business, to be known as Spins and Wins. The business will be a laundromat with a small area for video gaming. The liquor license is for the video gaming area.

The two areas of the business will be physically separated from each other by a wall with an adjoining door.

The business will occupy 5,000 square feet in part of the space formerly occupied by Sterk’s grocery store. According to Jake Marthaler, there will be a gaming lounge and laundromat, “It will be two separate locations, walled off.”

“If you want to do laundry, you can do laundray without having to go through the gaming. If you want to go gaming, you will not have to go through the laundromat to do so.”

The location will be 80 South Orchard Drive, south of the upcoming Park Forest Foods. Park Forest Foods will be in the former Orchard Fresh Market space.

According to a memo to the Village Board from Hildy Kingma, Director of Economic Development and Planning, the Liquor Commissioner, Village Manager, Police Chief and Village Attorney conducted an interview with the owners of Spins and Wins on December 11, 2017. “Both business owners were also required to pass criminal background checks, as mandated by the Village’s ordinance. Based on the interview and background checks, the Liquor Commissioner has recommended the issuance of the liquor license for the proposed business,” Director Kingma said in the memo.

“We look forward to opening and getting some more business back in that plaza,” Jake Marthaler told eNews Park Forest after the Village Board meeting of January 22.

Construction on the new business is expected to commence during the first week of February, according to Village Manager Tom Mick. “One of the things we would stress to the business is that, we’ve had issues where a liquor license has been issued and we’ve waited several months for the work to go forward. So, that is an issue of sensitivity on our part,” Mr. Mick said during the Village Board meeting.

Director Kingma stressed during the meeting that the gaming area will be walled off. “It will be accessible without having to go through the laundromat, and, visa versa, the laundromat will be accessible without having to go through the gaming area. You will be able to get from one to the other without having to go outside.”

As for alcohol sales, the gaming area will sell beer and wine only, the Marthalers say. There will be a physical wall separating the two areas of the business. Per Village ordinance, the gaming side will also serve food.

“Alcohol will be served by the attendant who is there,” Director Kingma continued, “There will always be an attendant in the laundromat and that person will be serving the alcohol as well. Anyone who serves alcohol, by our ordinance, does have to have a BASSET certification, which means that they’ve been trained in what they’re serving, trained in recognizing underage serving, and that kind of thing.

“Per our ordinance — this is not requred by state law — but, per our ordinance, when the alcohol is served, food also has to be served. So, that will be available,” Ms. Kingma added.

There were no questions from members of the board during the meeting.

“Our plan is for family-type people and the person who does not want to go to a bar and gamble,” Luke Marthaler said. “We’re not sitting there trying to get somebody in there trying to get drunk, taking shots, that’s not what we’re going for. We’re looking for people who like to go, have a couple of cocktails. That’s completely separate from the laundromat. This is going to be two separate things. We’re really gearing it towards upstanding people.”

“If you’re in the laundromat, you will not even be able to see a poker machine,” Jake said. “If you are in the gaming lounge, you will not be able to see the laundromat.”

“It’s not one of those things where you can walk into a gas station under age,” Luke added, “see all the beer and cigarettes. We’re not encouraging the under age to see how cool slot machines are.”

The laundromat will have a toddler area, carpeted, with its own television, according to the brothers. They are also planning on free Wi-Fi at the business with USB plug-in ports for charging phones and tablets. There will be a desk in the back so children and teens can do homework or watch videos while their parents are doing laundry.

The dividing wall between the two business will have a door, but people will be able to enter each section of the business separately from the outside.

Mayor John Ostenburg walked by during this interview, which occurred in the board room after the conclusion of Monday’s meeting of the Village Board. He wished the brothers good luck, and cautioned them, “Congratulations, gentlemen! Let’s get moving on this. Don’t let Matanky stall you like he does everybody else. Give him a kick in the a**, and if you don’t, I will.”

The mayor exchanged pleasantries with the Marthalers, and encouraged them to let the Village know when they are ready for the grande opening “so we can do it big.”

The plaza where the business plans to open is owned by Matanky Realty Group, which also owns the building in the DownTown that houses the Park Forest movie theater. To date, buildings owned by the Village of Park Forest have out-paced new business placements compared to those occupied by Matanky Reality Group. Matanky Reality Group has also sought and been granted permission to not pay Common Area Maintenance (CAM) fees for buildings it owns in the DownTown, with the Village hoping this allowance will help Matanky attract more businesses.

The Class L liquor license requires the following, per Village ordinance:

  • The area of the licensed premises shall be no less than 200 square feet in size, clearly identified, and restricted to persons aged 21 years or older (“the designated  area”).
  • Customers shall not remove open alcoholic beverages from the designated area of the premises.
  • Alcoholic liquors in the original package may only be sold by a cashier outside the designated area, may not be purchased or sold in the designated area, and packaged liquors may not be consumed in the designated
  • There shall be a paid attendant to monitor the designated area at all
  • Food for consumption within the designated area must be available at all
  • The sale of alcoholic beverages to patrons in the designated area shall comply at all times with the requirements of the Ordinance regarding alcoholic beverage sellers and servers

“Knowing all the codes and ordinances and having a good construction plan will speed up the construction ten-fold,” Jake Marthaler said. The brothers plan to open their new business April 1, 2018.


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