The Spot of Marengo Reopening After Months Closed; Tavern Now Hiring

The Spot of Marengo is reopening and hiring after being closed for several months, following a liquor-license revocation the city has since reversed. The downtown tavern at 214 S. State Street had even been listed, at one point, as permanently closed online.

The license, held by Dozer, Inc. (whose president and sole owner is Leslie Boomgarden, according to state records), was revoked by the city on January 30, 2026. Under Illinois law, Marengo's mayor serves as the Local Liquor Control Commissioner, meaning the revocation was issued by the mayor rather than approved by the City Council. According to Ordinance No. 26-4-1, the city determined that Dozer, Inc. was not operating the establishment and that the bar was instead being run by a tenant of the property owner who did not hold a City of Marengo liquor license.

The city and Dozer, Inc. resolved the matter over the following weeks. On March 23, the council authorized Mayor Proffitt to issue a Class A liquor license to Dozer, Inc. dba The Spot, and, according to city agenda materials, the Marengo Police Department had completed the required background check without issue. On April 13, the council adopted Ordinance No. 26-4-1, formally vacating the January 30 revocation so Dozer could proceed with its license application. State records show the business now holds an active Illinois liquor license for the location, good through March 2027.

With its licensing restored, The Spot is preparing to reopen, and owner Leslie Boomgarden says the welcome will be a warm one. "We will be reopening soon," Boomgarden told Marengo Weekly. "We will be glad to see familiar faces as well as new customers." Returning regulars can expect the staples, too: "We will still have our famous 3/4[-pound] burgers," she said.

The tavern is hiring now for bartenders and cooks across days, nights, and weekends, with training available for the right people. "Come work where good food, good drinks, and good people come together," the hiring post reads. Applicants can reach The Spot at Spot.Tavern.Marengo@gmail.com.