5 questions to Rich Zeller, owner of Avanti’s Italian restaurant | Local company
Italian restaurant Avanti co-owner Rich Zeller cuts a ribbon to celebrate the restaurant’s 50th anniversary on June 2.
PHOTO PROVIDED
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Position: Co-owner of the Italian restaurant Avanti, 402 S. Main St., Normal and 3302 E. Empire St., Bloomington
1. You recently celebrated Avanti’s 50th anniversary. Did you do something special?
Ribbon cut on June 2 with Chamber of Commerce, business partners, former employees and customers followed by cakes and gondolas.
2. How many owners has Avanti’s had in its 50 year history?
Originally the restaurant was jointly owned and managed by Guido Richard Zeller and his brother Albert when Avanti’s Italian restaurant was established in Normal in June 1971. In 1973 Guido bought his brother’s share and became the sole owner. Guido’s brother, Leo, joined the operation in 1976 and has become an integral part of the business. Guido, a successful owner, manager and friend of the community, passed away in 2002. Today, Guido’s two sons, Marcus and Richard, are involved in the ownership and management of Avanti’s.
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3. What has changed and what has remained the same over the past 50 years?
Our business philosophy and key ingredients have not changed, maintaining the levels of service and quality that people expect from Avanti’s. From the start, some menu items were added – turkey, chicken, fish, and salads, to name a few. Over the years we have added delivery service, catering and most recently online ordering five years ago. And now, curbside pickup.
4. What are your proudest or best memories at Avanti’s?
Have great employees – without them we wouldn’t be celebrating our 50th birthday. We have second generation employees and quite a few couples we have met at Avanti, and a few that a spouse is still employed with us. We have a few meeting groups that meet periodically starting with employees from the 70s, 80s and 90s. When employees leave and are asked what they liked most about Avanti, they often respond to the family atmosphere and how we care about our employees.
5. How did the restaurant start?
Guido Richard Zeller was born in the village of St. Galen, Switzerland. In 1961, he emigrated to the United States and settled in the small town of Walnut, Illinois. There he started working as a truck driver at the nut cheese factory where his brother Albert was employed. The Walnut Cheese Company produced a variety of cheeses which it distributed to pizzerias, restaurants, delicatessens and grocery stores. In 1966, Brother Albert bought the Italian restaurant Lardano on Main Street in Peoria, next to Bradley University. Shortly after, the name was changed to Avanti’s, which means “onward” in Italian. Following the success of Avanti’s near the Bradley campus, Guido and Albert decided to open an Avanti’s at the western end of the Illinois State University campus. In June 2009, the brothers opened a Bloomington store at 3302 E. Empire St. Albert retired in 2018, and his son Stefan became majority owner and president / CEO of five Avanti’s Italian restaurants in Peoria / East Peoria / Beijing.
Chicago is fully reopened as of Friday after enduring the pandemic for 15 months.
26 Bloomington-Normal restaurants from years gone by
Arthur Treacher’s Fish & Chips
Arthur Treacher’s Fish & Chips, seen in this Pantagraph commercial from February 1979, was operating at Landmark Mall in Normal.
Auberge du Cheval Blanc
The White Horse Inn, seen in this Pantagraph advertisement from October 1978, was at 709 S. Main St. in Normal.
Grammercy Park
Grammercy Park was at 608 N. Main St. in Bloomington. It operated from October 1989 to January 1992.
Shaky’s Pizza
Shakey’s Pizza restaurant operated at 704 Eldorado Road in Bloomington from 1986 to 1992. The building also housed Sirloin Stockade, Butterfield’s, Redmondo’s and Eldorado Dining Co.
Jack’s Mountain
Mountain Jack’s operated at 706 Eldorado Road from 1993 to 1996. It was previously a Carvers and Bonanza.
Smiling moose
Smiling Moose operated at 706 S. Eldorado Road from 1999 to 2002.
Piccolo Piccolo
The popular Italian restaurant at The Parkway shopping center in Bloomington opened in 1991 and closed four years later when owner Richard Kurtz opened Richard’s in downtown Bloomington.
Round on the ground
The Ground Round, at 502 IAA Drive, closed in 1996 after 17 years in Bloomington.
by Bennigan
Bennigan’s, which advertised itself as an “Irish American Grill & Tavern,” closed its Normal location in July 2008 after the chain filed for bankruptcy. The restaurant, 115 S. Veterans Parkway, was replaced by Wild Berries, which was later closed and razed.
Arnie’s
Arnie’s was a popular restaurant in Twin City for 25 years. Located at the Bloomington Airport Terminal, it closed in 2003, shortly after the Central Illinois Regional Airport moved to its current location about a mile east. Another restaurant, Arnie’s Etc., was open for about a year in the old terminal, until it closed in 2005.
Jerry Grid
Jerry’s Grille opened in 1999 in Bloomington’s Brandtville Mall, taking over the location used by another restaurant, Henry Wellington. He closed it in 2005, then became Goodfellas, which also closed.
STEVE SMEDLEY, PANTAGRAPH FILE PHOTO
Golden west
After 33 years in the heart of Normal, Golden West closed in 2002, after the owners received a surprise offer for the site and decided it was time to sell. The building, 712 S, Kingsley St., was then sold to Tartan Realty and demolished in 2003.
Delgado
Delgado’s, a popular Mexican restaurant located at 201 Landmark Drive, Normal, closed in May 2005 after 24 years in business. It is now the location of Los Portrillos.
Ming Restaurant
After eight years at 407 N. Hershey Road in Bloomington, Ming’s closed in 2012. The restaurant was threatened with foreclosure.
Damon’s grill
Damon’s – The Place for Ribs opened in 1995 at 1701 Fort Jesse Road, Normal. The restaurant closed in 2006 following the downturn in business; the site is now a CVS pharmacy.
Central Station
The old Central Station restaurant in downtown Bloomington was once a fire station.
that of Ned Kelly
Australian-themed Ned Kelly’s Steakhouse opened in May 1992 in Bob Knapp’s former location at the Brandtville Center. It closed in August 2007.
Zorba’s image
Zorbas, popular for serving Greek food, gyros and breakfast, closed in 2015 after its establishment in 603 Dale St., Normal, has been sold to a developer. The restaurant opened in 1983 around the corner in 707 S. Main Street
Mr. Fast
The Mr. Quick restaurant on Clinton and Washington streets opened in January 1966, selling burgers starting at 15 cents and coffee for a dime a cup. The restaurant closed in 2001 and the City of Bloomington then purchased the site and razed the building so it could widen the intersection.
great hotel
The historic Grand Hotel, 1201 E. Emerson St., Bloomington, once served as the winter training area for a number of circus acts and was converted into a restaurant in 1937. The property was seized by the Bank Nationale Pontiac in 2001, sold in 2002 and demolished a few months later.
Chevys Fresh Mex
Chevys Fresh Mex, 704 S. Eldorado Road, Bloomington, closed in 2011 after being open for almost nine years. The site has also housed several other restaurants, including a House of Hunan, Shakey’s Pizza and Butterfields.
Aleta Jane’s Coffee
After 14 years in business, Aleta Jane North closed her restaurant, Aleta Jane’s Cafe, 803 Morrissey Drive, Bloomington, in 2016.
Kep’s country kitchen
Kep’s Country Kitchen, 506 IAA Drive, in Bloomington closed in 2015.
Bombay Cycling Club
The Bombay Bicycle Club was a very popular restaurant and bar in the 1980s. a full menu included foods from around the world: potato skins and fried vegetables, chicken, cajun fried fish and shrimp, steak, quesadillas, guacamole and more.
The building opened in 1977 as the Smuggler’s Inn. It was converted to the Bombay Bicycle Club in 1984. Over the years, new restaurants have come to this place. The property was also home to Oriental Buffet & Grill, Prescott’s and the Wildcat Brewery Co.
In 2004, the 305 N. Veterans Parkway structure was demolished. In its place today are three restaurants: Noodles & Co., Chipotle Mexican Grill and Meat Heads.
Pictured is Edward Kruse, the manager of the Bombay Bicycle Club, in August 1991.
The Sinorak
Once the Sinorak has reigned.
It was what they called a smorgasbord (or one-price, all-you-can-eat cafeteria) at the southern end of Bloomington. Pete Karonis possessed it and gave his name in its place, Sinorak being Karonis spelled backwards.
You can get roast beef, fried chicken, ham, pork chops, salads, steamed vegetables, watermelon chunks, and large scoops of cottage cheese until your eyes change color. People were practically lining up in the parking lot just for the sake of walking through those queues and filling their plates and bowls to the brim, oh and ah in front of such and such a treat. You could get as much as you wanted and it always cost the same price.
In the photo, a service table at the restaurant. The guests helped themselves; lunch was served from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for 95 cents and dinner was served from 5 to 9 p.m. for $ 1.65.
The site was originally the Phil-Kron Cinema and Restaurant, which opened in 1947. The restaurant’s name was later changed to Sinorak. The drive-in was purchased by the Kerasotes theater chain in 1958. It closed in 1984, after being damaged by a fire that destroyed the vacant Sinorak.