The Country Squire Restaurant & Banquet Facilities were originally built as the stately residence of Wesley Sears, scion of the Chicago based mail-order firm. He lived there with his family and entertained the cream of Chicago society. The house was completed in 1938 and was regarded as 10 years ahead of its time in modern conveniences. It had 17 rooms, eight washrooms and four fireplaces. In July 1954, the Country Squire Restaurant was opened by Martin and Edna Giesel, known for their successful Caf de Paris in Chicago. In converting the building to a restaurant, they tried to leave as much of the original Sears home as possible intact. The family’s dining room is now the lounge. Throughout the years, many dignitaries and celebrities have made their way to the Country Squire, including such notables as Carl Sandberg, Marlon Brando, Esther Williams and Peggy Lee.