The Vine's Outdoor Patio Space '5 Years In The Making' Nearly Ready

GRAYSLAKE, IL — Mike Pruitt does his best not to dwell too much on everything that has taken place over the past five years. Allowing himself to become sidetracked by emotions connected to events and obstacles that are beyond his control, the Grayslake restaurateur knows, doesn’t do him — or anyone else — any good.

But now that he’s within a month of likely opening the outdoor space he started to envision at The Vine five years ago, the plans for an extended outdoor patio space for his customers to enjoy have started to take focus. Pruitt, the owner of the popular Grayslake martini and wine bar, hopes to open the patio space with seating for 100 by mid-June.

He is hesitant to be more specific than that despite the insane level of excitement that has been building as Pruitt has started offering social media updates on the patio’s planned opening. But just in the way that he doesn’t allow himself to be consumed by the challenges that came along with the COVID-19 pandemic, Pruitt also doesn’t get wrapped up in the building anticipation that goes along with introducing the long-awaited patio area.

“It’s good to see the excitement not only in our staff and ourselves but to see the excitement from the town,” Pruitt told Patch on Wednesday.

He added: “It’s insane how excited people are. We knew there was going to be excitement, but there’s not a day that goes by when a dozen or more people ask about it or tell us how excited they are.

The Vine, which opened 17 years ago, has always offered outdoor dining, but the patio space that existed had reached the end of its lifespan. So, five years ago, Pruitt set out to dream about a new patio space that would offer a warm, welcoming environment for cocktails, dinner, or other social gatherings. The patio space will offer more than 100 seats, 30 of which will be at the bar, Pruitt said.

The space, which represents nearly a $1 million investment on Pruitt’s part, will be the setting for private parties and live music events. While summer and fall will undoubtedly be the most popular times for the space, Pruitt said outdoor heaters will allow the space to be used year-round.

The outdoor space will provide a new chapter for The Vine, which, in addition to the challenges that came with COVID-19 restrictions on restaurant owners like himself, The Vine also experienced another obstacle in 2022. The business took a $50,000 hit after a 1970s-era oil tank filled to the brim was discovered buried on the restaurant’s property.

The discovery took place as Pruitt was expanding the business’ kitchen space and forced the business to close while the issue was dealt with. In response, the community rallied around Pruitt by contributing nearly $20,000 to help with expenses associated with the removal of the oil tank.

“It’s frustrating, but it’s not something you dwell on,” Pruitt told Patch of the challenges his business has dealt with in recent years. “The big picture is getting (the outdoor patio space) done and the (thinking back on) the last three years of COVID that we were in business. That’s the most important thing.”

A drastic reduction in COVID-19 cases over the past several months and the progress being made on the patio space have allowed Pruitt to move on in many ways. And yet, while the project that has been five years in the making has moved closer to completion, Pruitt manages to stay focused on the day-to-day.

Although the finish line is within reach, Pruitt said there is still enough to worry about to keep him from feeling too comfortable. He admits that the project can sometimes look “scary on paper” but Pruitt says the excitement surrounding the opening of the patio space keeps him motivated to see the project through to completion.

He won’t spend too much time thinking about what the actual opening will look like but remains driven by the fact that the outdoor space so many people have been waiting for will soon come to fruition brings its own set of emotions.

The Vine is currently training more than a dozen new employees who will be part of the patio’s opening. That is just one element of the final stages of the opening plan that the public doesn’t see, Pruitt said. Yet, as he continues to work through the anticipation of what’s coming, Pruitt is also doing his best to keep his feet planted firmly on the ground.

“With everything going on, if I think too much about it, then the stress starts to kick in,” Pruitt told Patch on Wednesday. “It’s just easier to focus on what needs to be done.”