About This Property

A Landmark on the Mother Road

This unique building sits on Historic Route 66 on a busy corner of Braidwood, IL, where IL Routes 129, 113 & 53 converge. Originally a Sinclair service station since the 1930s, the space retains the bones of its automotive heritage — overhead garage doors, open bay, 13-ft ceilings — making it a natural fit for an auto detailing studio or vocational and trade school (the bay doubles as instructional space), and equally well-suited for coffee shops, breweries, pizza, burger joints, ice cream, and other food & beverage concepts seeking a prime location with a story to tell. The drive-up curb cuts also suit a community bank branch or credit union, and the overhead-door access makes this a practical choice for a veterinary clinic serving Braidwood's semi-rural community.

The building has been featured in documentaries, museums, and articles on Route 66 — giving any business here built-in exposure and a connection to one of America’s most iconic highways.

Historic Sinclair service station at this location, c. 1940s

This location as a Sinclair station, c. 1940s

Property Highlights

Why This Space

🛣️

Historic Route 66

Positioned on the Mother Road with documented Route 66 history — featured in national documentaries, museums, and travel guides. Built-in foot traffic from Route 66 tourism.

📍

Prime Corner Lot

Corner location at the convergence of IL Routes 129, 113 & 53. Over 300 ft of total frontage across three streets with two curb cuts. Maximum visibility.

🍕

Flexible Use

The city actively encourages restaurant, coffee, brewery, ice cream, and retail concepts here. Front office/lobby plus a garage bay configurable for dining, production, or service.

🅿️

Large Surface Lot

Generous on-site parking lot with multiple access points off Washington and Mitchell streets. Easy customer and delivery access for any concept.

🔨

Flexible Terms for the Right Tenant

Tenants willing to invest in capital improvements — buildout, restoration, or renovation — are encouraged to reach out. Lease rate and term are negotiable for proposals that enhance the property.

🔧

Updated Utilities

Recent infrastructure improvements include new water service to the building, new water heater, updated plumbing throughout, new bathroom fixtures, and new gas line service.

Market Opportunity

Why Braidwood, Why Now

A high-income trade area, a captive blue-collar and white-collar workforce, and one of the biggest tourism years in Route 66 history — the conditions for a new food, beverage, or retail concept are uniquely strong right now.

22,000+

Residents within 10 mi

Braidwood, Wilmington, Coal City, and surrounding communities make up the immediate trade area.

$82K

Median household income

Braidwood city median — well above the U.S. average — anchored by the nuclear and industrial workforce.

696K+

Will County residents

Illinois's 4th most populous county — and one of its fastest-growing. Braidwood sits at the county's southern gateway.

113M

Illinois visitors in 2024

Record tourism year for Illinois. 2026 marks Route 66's 100th anniversary — the biggest tourism push the Mother Road has ever seen.

$75M

Annual payroll — Constellation Energy

684 direct employees at the Braidwood Clean Energy Center with above-average wages — a ready customer base looking for great places to eat.

$110K

Will County median household income

Well above both state and national medians. Braidwood's nuclear workforce skews even higher — a ready-to-spend customer base.

A real market gap in an established trade area

Braidwood has an active bar and dining scene — but no dedicated craft brewery or taproom, and no standalone specialty coffeehouse concept. A workforce of thousands and year-round Route 66 tourist traffic are already here. The right concept doesn’t need to build a customer base from scratch — it inherits one.

* Population and income figures from U.S. Census Bureau / ACS estimates. Illinois visitor data from Illinois Office of Tourism (2024). Constellation Energy payroll and employee figures from Constellation Energy public fact sheets. Will County median household income from Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates. Employer headcounts from company fact sheets and regional economic development sources. Amazon Wilmington sorting center approved by Wilmington City Council; operational timeline subject to change. Trade area population (22,000+) is an approximation based on community census figures within a 10-mile radius.

In Braidwood & Wilmington (within 10 miles)

Constellation Energy — Braidwood684 employees · Nuclear · ~3 mi

Amazon — WilmingtonFulfillment + 1.6M sq ft sorting center · ~10 mi N

Morris / Minooka corridor (15–20 miles)

Morris Hospital1,675 employees · Healthcare

Grainger615 employees · Distribution

Procter & Gamble500 employees · Distribution

Trader Joe's450 employees · Distribution

Costco561 + 415 employees · Meat processing & retail

Constellation — Dresden900 employees · Nuclear

Details

Property Specifications

Address

100 N. Washington St., Braidwood, IL 60408

Space Available

1,450 sq ft (1st Floor)

Space Use

Food & Beverage • Retail • Auto Detailing • Vocational / Trade School • Professional Office • Community Bank / Credit Union • Flex

Lease Type

Triple Net (NNN)

Asking Rent

$2,100 / month

Lease Term

Negotiable

Date Available

Now

Space Configuration

Front office/lobby + open shop bay (2 overhead garage doors)

Shop Ceiling Height

13 ft

Garage Doors

18′ × 10′ (double) • 9′ × 10′ (single)

Frontage — N. Washington St.

107 ft • 1 curb cut

Frontage — E. Main St.

56 ft

Frontage — N. Mitchell St.

138 ft • 1 curb cut

Zoning

B1 (Business)

Recent Improvements

New water service • New water heater • Updated plumbing • New bathroom fixtures • New gas line service

Location

Suburban Chicagoland • Will County, IL • 10 min from Wilmington • 20 min from Joliet • 20 min from Morris • 50 min from Kankakee • 60 min from Chicago

Location

Suburban Chicagoland — Will County, IL

Braidwood sits at the southwestern edge of the Chicagoland metro, 60 minutes from downtown Chicago and 20 minutes from Joliet — Will County's largest city and one of the fastest-growing markets in Illinois. The property draws from a broad regional customer base spanning Will, Grundy, and Kankakee counties. The Braidwood Motel sits next door at 120 N. Washington St., putting overnight guests steps from your front door. Reed-Custer High School is just 0.6 miles away, providing a built-in base of students, staff, and event-night foot traffic. The Braidwood Recreation Club — a beloved family destination with a beach, golf course, fishing, and camping — sits virtually across the street. Families wrapping up a full day of sun and fun are a natural walk-in customer base for food, ice cream, and retail.

Wilmington, IL
10 min

Joliet, IL
20 min · 150,000+

Morris, IL
20 min

Kankakee, IL
50 min

Chicago, IL
60 min

Braidwood Motel
Next door · 120 N. Washington St.

Reed-Custer High School
0.6 mi

Braidwood Rec Club
Beach · Golf · Fishing · Across the street

Marketing Materials

Concept Flyers

Exploring a specific use for this space? Download a one-page flyer with property specs, market data, and a tailored case for your concept.

Brewery & Taproom

Open bay doors, Route 66 identity, captive nuclear workforce, and no dedicated craft brewery in town — why this building works as a taproom.

View / Download

Coffee & Café

No dedicated specialty coffeehouse in the market, a drive-up-friendly corner lot, and plumbing & gas already in place — the case for a café here.

View / Download

Vocational school and office concept rendering

Creative Office & Flex Space

Client-ready lobby paired with an open 13-ft bay — configurable as creative studio, workshop, showroom, or flex workspace. Permitted by right under B-1 zoning.

View / Download

100 N. Washington St.

A Landmark on the Mother Road

Why This Space

Why Braidwood, Why Now

Property Specifications

Property Gallery

Suburban Chicagoland — Will County, IL

Concept Flyers

Request a Showing or Ask a Question