Sangamo Club to close doors Friday after 133 years
One of Springfield's most storied social clubs is closing its doors Friday, marking an end to over 130 years of tradition and fine dining in downtown.
The Sangamo Club's management cited a changing social environment and declining membership for the end of a Springfield institution. In a letter sent Saturday to club members, president James Ackerman said that the club had been losing money for some time, without the kinds of recreational activities that could keep a similar organization afloat.
"The bottom line (is) this: the world in which the Sangamo Club was founded in and thrived for 133 years has changed significantly," Ackerman said.
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Ackerman pointed out that of the club's 250 current members, more than half – 144, to be exact – spent no money on food or alcohol at the club in the last month. He also said that with office workers moving out of city centers like Springfield, they weren't spending money in the downtown area.
"Unlike country clubs, we cannot rely on golf, pool or other social activities to sustain us," Ackerman said. "This predicament primarily affects city clubs that are renowned establishments situated in the downtown core of cities. These urban areas have witnessed an exodus of office workers, along with their expense accounts, exacerbating the impact on esteemed clubs like our own."
Ackerman said in the letter that the club did make several attempts to raise membership and remained open, all of which failed. They attempted to form a limited-liability company in the club's name and sold shares as a loan from the members, only managing to sell three of them. They tried to increase the number of mandatory food purchases from members, which didn't do enough to keep the club in operation by itself.
In addition to that, the club has tried various membership drives, but an inability to double the current membership made it difficult for them to remain in business.
The club first opened in 1890 with 116 charter members at a clubhouse located at 523 South Sixth Street. The organization bounced around the city for a time, opening headquarters on Capitol Avenue in 1894 before a new clubhouse opened at Fifth and Capitol in 1915. The club had facilities in the top two floors of the Illinois Building during the early 1930s, but financial issues brought on by the Great Depression forced them to move back to their prior home.
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Membership grew after World War II, necessitating the need for a larger facility. Eventually, the current site at 227 East Adams Street was purchased and opened in 1963, with additional facilities being added in 1974.
The club has remained there for the past 60 years, becoming a favorite spot in Springfield for local gatherings, social functions and special events.
Earlier this year, the site of the club was put up for sale by the management, with a $2.1 million price tag. As of Monday, the site remains for sale with Hurwitz Enterprises Commercial Real Estate.
The announcement of the closure of the club has been felt by people near and far in the culinary community. David Radwine, the former longtime general manager and head chef of the club, said Monday that he was proud to have worked there for 23 years and that he was sad to see the club go.
"I'm proud to have been a part of that as Club Manager for 23 years until the time of my retirement at the end of 2014," Radwine said. "During that time, I worked with some great staff, wonderful members and countless terrific vendors. These people became part of my extended family. It's a sad day to learn that the Club is closing. It's certainly a sign of the times.
"Given that, I will say that Sangamo Club was able to stay relevant longer than many larger city clubs throughout the country. Perhaps the Club can be reborn at a future date and time."
Jay Kitterman, founder and former director of Lincoln Land Community College's culinary program and member of the club, said that many students had gone on to work for the club in a variety of roles, with the club being more than willing to help further their careers.
"The Sangamo Club was always happy and pleased to take on our students," Kitterman said. "Dining habits have changed. We live in a very causal world – people don't like to get dressed up, it's often very family-related when dining out. (Now,) we have few venues that you may want to call fine dining, so this provided our students with a special opportunity to learn about service (in) the front of the house and the back of the house working in the kitchen."
As a club member, he felt that the loss of the Sangamo Club wouldn't just be a loss for its members, it would be a loss for the entire city of Springfield.
"(We're) losing another venue for events, weddings, Bar Mitzvahs (and) special occasions," Kitterman said. "(It was) some place to take people when they come to town. It's a true loss for the city."
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Sangamo Club to close doors Friday after 133 years
