Months after the volunteers running the Mundelein Tool Library were told they had to relocate, they’ve finally found a new home.
The nonprofit facility is relocating to vacant space at 309 N. Seymour Ave., within a shopping center on the southeast corner of Seymour and Hawley Street in downtown Mundelein. It had operated since 2021 in a village-owned building at 428 N. Chicago Ave.
The group inked a two-year lease for the Seymour Avenue storefront about two weeks ago and started moving last week. Organizers hope to reopen this fall.
“We’re trying to move along as quickly as we can,” tool library board member Roberta Rekus said.
The new facility offers a financial challenge, however.
Whereas the village offered the Chicago Avenue space — formerly home to Mundelein’s water division staff — at no charge, the tool library will owe rent each month.
The group may launch an online fundraiser to help cover that cost, Rekus said. It also may charge customers to borrow some tools.
From left, Paul Kaufman, Brett Loding and Larry Lustig unload equipment from a trailer as they work to move the Mundelein Tool Library to its new home at 309 N. Seymour Ave. in Mundelein.
Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
“We’re hopeful that we can make this work,” Rekus said.
The library had to relocate because the village agreed to sell the Chicago Avenue building, which will be turned into a microbrewery called Fenton’s Brewing Company.
Some residents publicly criticized Mundelein officials for evicting the tool library and not quickly finding the group a suitable base of operations.
In an email, Mayor Steve Lentz congratulated library volunteers for landing the Seymour Avenue site.
“You won’t find a more passionate group of volunteers than those that run the Mundelein Tool Library,” Lentz said. “Mundelein is very lucky to have them in town.”
Once the space is ready for occupancy, volunteers likely will be needed to help set up and stock shelves, the library’s Larry Lustig said. For more information, call (224) 475-0435 or email office@mundeleintoollibrary.org.
