BWL Suburban Life • mysuburbanlife.com • Wednesday, November 27, 2013 • EC
| NEWS
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Connie’s Family Restaurant a ‘home away from home’ By JOE SINOPOLI jsinopoli@shawmedia.com BERWYN – When you think about a cup of hot coffee and a plate of steaming comfort food, it’s not a cafe you want – it’s a coffee shop. A coffee shop is the kind of place where a waitress can serve a steak, lamb shishkabobs, spaghetti, a corned beef sandwich, chop suey and a breakfast skillet, all at the same table and all really good. A place where you can be enveloped in the privacy of a booth to whisper sweet nothings or tell someone “It’s not you, it’s me.” Connie’s Family Restaurant, 3271 S. Harlem Ave., celebrated a grand re-opening Nov. 20 to commemorate its new ad-
Bill Ackerman - backerman@shawmedia.com
Evan Summers, assistant Berwyn city administrator, and First Ward Alderman Nona Chapman chat Wednesday before the ribbon cutting as Connie’s Family Restaurant in Berwyn. dition/expansion of a an Event and Party Room and Lounge. In keeping with the times, there is
also a gaming room discreetly located behind closed doors, but still close enough to a back
NOTICE OF PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX INCREASE FOR THE TOWNSHIP OF BERWYN, COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH FUND, COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS I. A public hearing to approve a proposed property tax levy increase for the Township of Berwyn, Community Mental Health Fund, Cook County, Illinois for 2013 will be held on Friday, December 06, 2013 at 6:30 p.m. at the Berwyn Health District, First Floor, 6600 W. 26th Street, Berwyn, Illinois 60402
service bar. Attending were several members of the Berwyn Development Commission, Berwyn officials – including Mayor Robert Lovero and Alderman Nona Chapman – and staff and family. None were strangers to the restaurant. Since 1944, Connie’s has been open for business on the corner of Harlem and Stanley avenues. It started as a diner and bar. About 38 years ago, a young Bill Sotiropoulos came to Connie’s as a cook. He met his wife, Tula. In the late ‘70s Bill and Tula would become the new owners, turned the diner around and crafted it into the restaurant model it is today. ‘We feel like we’re a
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Any person desiring to appear at the public hearing and present testimony to the taxing district may contact Elizabeth Pechous, Supervisor of the Township of Berwyn, 6600 W. 26th Street, Berwyn, Illinois, 60402, at 708-788-6600. II. The corporate and special purpose property taxes extended or abated for 2012 were $481,345. The proposed corporate and special purpose property taxes to be levied for Tax Year 2013 are $505,363. This represents a 4.99% change over the previous year. III. The property taxes extended for debt service and public building commission leases for 2012 were $0.00. The estimated property taxes to be levied for debt service and public building commission leases for 2013 are $0.00. This represents no change over the previous year. IV. The total property taxes extended or abated for 2012 were $481,345. The estimated total property taxes to be levied for 2013 are $505,363. This represents a 4.99% change over the previous year. November 27, 2013 Berwyn Suburban Life 6971
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niche,” said Andy Sotiropoulos, Bill and Tula’s son. “We try to be everyone’s home away from home.” In March, the restaurant will celebrate 70 years of business in Berwyn. “I think it’s impressive that a business is 70 years running, especially a family business that relies on the community,” Andy Sotiropoulos said. “I promised my father I would be here for the 100th.” Restaurants don’t stay in business because people like the pattern of the silverware – it’s the food – and Connie’s has long been recognized as the “Emperors of Breakfast “ by food critics. It also takes great pride in its cheeseburgers, also regionally known as among the best around. “We don’t cut corners,” Andy Sotiropoulos said. “We wouldn’t ever serve anything to a customer we wouldn’t serve to our family.” Obviously that philosophy works. Berwyn Development Corporation vice president Jousef Mondragon said he and his family are frequent customers and called Connie’s “a staple of the community.” Mayor Lovero said he and city staff come to Connie’s quite often because “you are treated like family.” Being like family, also means everybody knows your name – and dining habits. “You know what day you’re going to see certain people who come in for the same thing.” Andy Sotiropoulos said.
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