Story posted Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Pizza Shop Deal Likely Dead
By BOBBY CHILVER Journal & Topics Reporter
A deal to open a Sarpino's Pizza headquarters in Prospect Hts. is likely dead after the franchisor announced problems with the City Council's restrictive ordinance Monday night.
The Sarpino's proposal has been in the works for a few months now and had gone through the zoning board and City Council first reading. The facility was to be located at 711 N. Elmhurst Road, at the southeast corner of Elmhurst and Palatine roads. A vacant auto parts store currently stands on the spot.
Sarpino's was to buy the land and build a two-story building, which would serve as a carryout restaurant and a training facility for franchisees. Sarpino's is currently based in Lincolnshire.
The ordinance came up for second reading at Monday's regular City Council meeting and was approved by a unanimous vote. But shortly after approval, franchisor Dmitry Shapiro and his attorney, Bruce Entman, stepped up to say they had issues with the ordinance.
Entman explained that Shapiro wanted to be open later than the set 1 a.m. restriction. He was also worried about a clause that could hold the restaurant responsible for truck noise.
In the ordinance it states that trucks should not idle when making deliveries because of close proximity to nearby homes. Entman said they would be happy to put up signs but there is no way they can control truck drivers since they are not Sarpino's employees.
As for the closing time, Shapiro said most of the Sarpino's restaurants vary in closing time but he wanted to have the freedom to stay open for late-night deliveries.
Mayor Dolly Vole said she was only comfortable with the 1 a.m. closing time and said she believed that was the set time from the start of discussions.
Shapiro later said that the 1 a.m. restriction was never discussed and he would likely take his businesses somewhere else if that limitation remained.
"Probably, the deal is dead," he said, noting he can easily find real estate somewhere else in this market.
"They want to control what I do," Shapiro added. "They don't think I have the common sense to not create noise."
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