History

The Tivoli Hotel is believed to have opened in early 1929, a year after the Tivoli Theatre, which opened Christmas Day 1928. Due to its close proximity to the train, the hotel was built to help Downers Grove grow as a tourist destination. It was one of two downtown hotels at the time; the other was located where the Station Crossing condos are today. The elevator in the historic building was the first to be installed in Downers Grove. In its early years, the Tivoli Hotel had a restaurant on the second floor. The space was later converted into an office, which was the home of the Downers Grove grade school and high school Board of Education office for 18 years. It was later converted into an apartment before becoming the single rooms it is today. In 1976, Willis Johnson purchased the building and created Tivoli Enterprises, which now includes the Tivoli Hotel, Tivoli Bowling Lanes, and Tivoli Theatre (which grew into the Classic Cinemas group of historic theatres), and several other real estate holdings. Since taking ownership of the Tivoli Hotel, Johnson and the hotel staff have been committed to providing an affordable residence that centers on community for its guests. Mr. Johnson and his wife Shirley lived in the building for more than 20 years. Home to 50-plus residents, the Tivoli Hotel price starts at $190 per week, with an average stay of over three years. One resident lived at the Tivoli for 43 years.