Scott Bonser’s retirement plans from the auto repair business that has been in his family for 55 years have been put on hold.
Instead of closing the Clarendon Hills Auto Repair business Aug. 1, that his father and uncle started in 1963 at 144 Burlington Ave., Bonser, who has lived in Clarendon Hills his entire life, will remain open for the time being.
Bonser thought he had a buyer for the property. However, Todd Naccarato of Molto Properties in Oakbrook Terrace canceled his contract to purchase the property and is negotiating with Bonser for a new deal.
Naccarato was planning to repurpose the space to use for an office and vehicle storage, but said costs involved for construction to that end have come back higher than expected.
“I’m struggling with the costs of redoing the building because I don’t want to put so much into it that I’m going to lose money if I decide to sell it,” Naccarato said Tuesday.
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Naccarato said he hopes to get a deal done by the end of August, but Bonser didn’t sound optimistic.
“I’m not 100 percent sure it’s a deal that is going to get done,” he said Tuesday. “I’m not holding my breath for anything.”
Dan Ungerleider, Clarendon Hills’ community development director, said the special use granted to Naccarato includes two conditions: paving the gravel area and constructing a refuse enclosure behind the building.
A fire suppression system also would be required by the building code, a result of changing the building’s use.
“This is a standard requirement and would be known by the contract purchaser before putting an offer on the property,” Ungerleider said.
Bonser hasn’t shut off communication with Naccarato, but he will continue to look for another buyer.
“I shut down most of my operation because I expected to be done Aug. 1,” he said.
Bonser said it’s the right time in his life to close up shop, but he will wait until he finds another buyer. He and his wife plan to move to Florida some time after he sells the building.
“I’m older and tired. I don’t want to work 12 hours a day anymore,” he said. “This place definitely has been a big part of my life for most of it, and I’ve seen three generations of families bring their cars in.”