Story posted Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Rising Costs Send Johnny's Place Packin'
Restaurant Will Fill Jay's Vacancy In Des Plaines
By CRAIG ADAMS Journal & Topics Reporter
Johnny's Place at Touhy and Greenwood avenues in Park Ridge closed its doors, but it plans a rebirth in Des Plaines by the end of the summer.
"I'm in the process of permits and all that," said owner John Nasiopoulos, of his new planned location at 20 W. Golf Rd. near Mt. Prospect Rd. That site is the former home of Jay's, a hot dog and hamburger stand. Before Jay's, the location housed Armenian restaurant Sayat Nova.
Nasiopoulos made it clear he did not want to leave Park Ridge, but cited a rent increase and rising taxes as two reasons he had to leave.
"It (the increase) was almost $1,000 a month," he said. "I either had to raise my prices to the point where I aggravate my customers... or I buy garbage product," he said. "And I never considered reducing the quality of the product."
He has already offered all his current employees jobs at the new location when it opens. "I'm hoping by the end of August," he said. He also hopes many of his customers will follow to the new store. "People said they are going to come and see me," he said. "I really believe they will come," he added, though he admitted, "We're not going to get everybody."
"I had good people, I enjoyed the people, I knew everybody by their first name," Nasiopoulos continued. He served his customers at the Park Ridge location for 20 years, he added.
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