By Dee Longfellow
For The Elmhurst Independent
Owner Peter Bizios has announced that he is closing the Elmhurst Family Restaurant at 411 W. Lake St. after 41 years in business. It was a decision that was primarily driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused set-backs that Bizios said his restaurant simply “couldn’t overcome.”
Elmhurst Family Restaurant has had its ups and downs since it opened in June of 1979. For about ten years, Bizios had owned a truck stop down the street before deciding to build and open a new restaurant that featured a large menu.
Now that the restaurant is closed, its property at 441 W. Lake St. went on the market, also a possible casualty of the shutdown of in-house dining everywhere. The property has gone on the market, according to Oak Brook-based Adelphia Properties, which listed it last week. The listing says the 5,000-square-foot building was built in 1989. The Better Business Bureau reported that the eatery had opened 36 years ago.
It is still unclear whether they tried everything to keep the business running. When a restaurant is struggling, it may employ various strategies to attract customers, such as hanging a bright neon sign of its restaurant in style or providing special offers to customers who visit the establishment. However, if they tried everything and still had to close the restaurant, it was probably the right decision.
Despite having to close his Elmhurst Family Restaurant, Bizios, who is 76, said at least he’s left with wonderful memories of the many customers and good friends he has made over the years. After working seven days a week at the restaurant for so long, Bizios said he has no plans to return to the restaurant business!
