North Park University in located on the south side of Foster Ave between Kedzie and Kimball in the north side of Chicago. We are bordered on the south by the north branch of the Chicago River and Von Steuben High School.
There are a lot of restaurants around campus. Along Foster east of Kedzie, we have a McDonalds and Charcoal Delights, a long time North Park favorite gyros, hot dog, and hamburger joint. On Kimball just North of Foster is a wonderful Filipino restaurant, Merla’s, named for the matronly owner and amazing cook. They have the best empanadas... maybe in all of Chicago. On Foster across from campus, there is a Subway, a Jimmy John’s, and a Starbucks. 2 Asian Brothers is probably the most popular with our students because the reasonable pricing and ample portions of their rice bowls and banh mi sandwiches.
Of course, the is the iconic Tre Kroner. The serve up the best Swedish cuisine that I have ever had. North Park is a neighborhood that was predominantly Swedish and Tre Kroner is across the street from our university which was founded by the Swedish Covenant Church. It has a cozy décor that I would call a pleasing mixture of rustic and elegant with Swedish overtones. The quiches are to die for.
Then there are three other restaurant storefronts that have started and failed several times. One was a pizza place that became another pizza place that became a third pizza place that is now a taco place. Another was a middle eastern place, that became a taco place, that became a better taco place. Next to it was a Mexican Ice Cream place that was short lived due to the worst customer service in the history of eating establishments perhaps anywhere on the planet. When it closed the aforementioned better taco place expanded into that space and became a better taco place with more tables.
Lastly, there was a place next to 2 Asian brothers, Papa Philly’s, that seemed to be popular. I only went to Papa Philly’s once. A smaller number of students liked, well, actually loved and were devoted this place which I never really understood. I went there only once and had a gyro sandwich. It was OK and the owner, perhaps Papa Phil, was blandly indifferent. There were much better gyro places within a few miles. The most charming part of the place was that they had one of those rotary display stands that keeps slices of pizza warm. The one in Papa Phil’s was full of… fried chicken. Papa Phil’s closed sometime in 2020 due to the pandemic.
As the Fall term began back in late August, I noticed that the Papa Phil’s location was a new restaurant. It looked like another taco joint which seem to open and close with increasing frequency in the surrounding neighborhoods. I walked by the place several times before I stopped and read the menu on the front window. It was not a taco place at all. Amongst their offerings were empanadas and arepas. My guess is that the new owners were Venezuelan or Colombian. I couldn’t stop in that day as my schedule was full.
A few days later, I stopped in and found that the owners were Venezuelan. The two ladies were very nice, energetic, in their late thirties or early forties, and delighted I came in. I ordered an empanada, a chicken arepa, yucca, and some coffee. The empanada was so-so and did not measure to Merla’s. The arepa, yucca, and coffee were really good and took me back to my days when I travelled to Venezuela and Colombia. I stopped in there once a week and took others. We all liked the food.
After Thanksgiving, I went there for lunch and the place was closed. The windows were covered with plastic happy birthday table clothes. I was a bit sad but not expected. While the food was really good, the owners did not invest at all in the décor. The Papa Philly’s hand me down grunge décor did nothing for the restaurant. They did no marketing. I took a former student there who was working for a marketing firm that specialized in online advertising for Latino restaurants. I introduced her to the ladies who ran the place. They were pleased to meet her but showed little interest in learning more.
The place was called Ghynaro’s Grill. I am not sure which lady was Ghynaro. I assumed it was a last name of one of or both the ladies. Sadly, the restaurant was not open long enough for me to be a frequent enough patron to actually get to know the names of the owners. Their sign noted “Since 2021.” It struck me as odd, with a foreboding overtone, when I first saw it. It was still 2021. Maybe they should have put on “Since July.” The “Since 2021,” made me wonder if they would be open in 2030 or 2050 when the phrase would have been more meaningful.
In retrospect, not showing interest in marketing and not upgrading the décor were indications that the owners did not have the capital to open properly. They also clearly did not have enough funds to sustain themselves for whatever time it took for their business to survive as it ramped up. Lack of funds and business acumen is probably the reason so many small businesses close so quickly.
I suppose, except for the aforementioned ice cream joint, these restaurants around campus all opened with great hope. Most likely, as in the case of Ghynaro’s, most of these entrepreneurs are really good cooks. Their family and friends have raved about their culinary skills for years. They were probably told, on numerous occasions, something akin to, “this is so awesome, you should open a restaurant!” So, some of these folks take a chance. But, without the right business plan and funding, there is a huge risk of failure. The fellow that owns the better taco place understands this and is as good a marketer as he is a cook. His place seems to be doing better. The Venezuelan ladies worked hard in the restaurant. Their food was good. But, it wasn’t enough. Sadly.
Within a month, a new place has just opened in the storefront. It is called Sissy’s. Others have told me it is good. I heard that Sissy has food service experience. I will check it out in January when the Spring Term starts. Though the sign does not say but I will be thinking, “Since 2021.”
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