McHenry cafe owners looking to open more businesses

The owners of McHenry’s Toast and Roast cafe are planning to expand, adding two new businesses in the Green Street building.A pop-up, third-party booking space with a kitchen, The Buzz, is set for the north end of the building. A 150-person banquet hall is planned for the back half. The two projects have an estimated cost of $370,500, according to their application packet for business grants from the city.The McHenry City Council approved, on a narrow 4-3 vote, two $25,000 city grants to owners Lauren Alexander and Ezequiel “Zeke” Amaro to help with the two buildouts.Council members Andy Glab, Ward 2; Chris Bassi, Ward 4; and Andy Davis, Ward 5, were the dissenting votes.Those voting no said they were concerned because Alexander and Amaro received a $30,000 facade grant in late 2022 to redo the exterior, windows and add a side porch to the former Some Other Nuts building. The Council previously voted to cap business grants at one per address every five years, but the 7,100-square-foot