When I first came to Villa Park to check out the unit at 54 S Villa Ave I was bitten with its charm. Villa Avenues charm, not he unit’s. “Back then” there was nothing else on the strip from Villa Ave to the Museum, but some commercial shops and some pretty rad looking bars, maybe there was a pizza place.
MORE was being built. A property across the street was being readied to be torn down. The strip was about to change.
I signed my lease in March. I wrote the date on the wall in the back in what would later be the office. It’s still there.
Since then a few businesses came into town and now the strip has a different look. This was supposed to be the first summer it all would come together.
Then Covid.
Amiright or what.
Anyways, plans stay the same, but timing is now off.
So we go with the flow. Roll with the punches as they say.
Back in early 2018 I thought I’d be selling frys in a few months time. So I bought a sign with my logo on it and had it installed.
Since that point I’ve answered one single question more times than I can count.
“When you guys going to open?”
If I learned anything, and I didn’t, as you will find out by reading on, it is to put the sign up AT THE END when everything is done and you’re READY TO OPEN.
Fast forward - if you dare - to now. I don’t blame you if you want to stay in 2018. Im in a verbal agreement with my landlord to obtain the unit next door to mine.
As a licensed Realtor I know that nothing is certain until the ink from your signature stains a contract. And even then you’re lucky if no one objects.
However, I’m making the same mistake again. Albeit, not as large and visible as my last, but I digress.
What are my plans?
Right now the leading plan is: I LOVE PIZZA.
I LOVE PIZZA was incorporated at the same time I incorporated I Love Frys. It was always supposed to happen, but never really had a time line.
I still don’t have a timeline, but its inching closer and closer everyday. I hope to have pizza delivery up and running by the start of winter. We’ll see. I am pretty picky when it comes to equipment like ovens and such. It gets worse when I’m looking for ingredients. As a first generation American I’m always looking for old world foods that are grown here in the states. We have so much going on in this country and looking for specific ingredients is like an episode of Where In The World Is Carmen San Diego… instead I’m hunting down Tay Nigh Chili Salt and interviewing the last person to have ordered some from Vietnam in the back of a bodega in Portland.
“DO THEY MAKE ANY HERE?” I yell as I shine the pendulum light into the persons face.
I’ve definitely seen way too many of this exact same scene in movies. Guess its getting time for me to wrap this up.
So, in conclusion, maybe I learned my lesson. Maybe I didn’t. Either way I’m going to try and pull this off. My money trees stopped growing behind the restaurant so I have to resort to playing the lotto and betting on sports.
Wish me luck!
PS if you see something else in that spot… you guessed it. whomp whomp.
-mj