Businesses opening and closing in La Grange

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Victor Alaniz adds avocado to a Tunesian chicken wrap at Mezza Mediterranean Grill in La Grange as Claire Benz and Jessica Ramirez prepare the next order. | Jane Michaels~Sun-Times Media

Updated: March 10, 2012 8:24AM

Despite efforts of two years to resolve the situation, smoke and the pungent smell of barbecue is forcing Urban Sole in La Grange to close its doors after seven years selling shoes, purses and women’s clothing.

“We did OK with the recession by consolidating to one store to survive,” said Honor Lorenzini, who owns the boutique at 72 S. La Grange Road with Mary Kral. “But this situation was too much. We’ve tried, and we’re very sad.”

The partners closed a second store in Hinsdale in 2008. About a year later, Michael LaPidus closed his Roly Poly sandwich shop next door in La Grange and reopened as Q BBQ.

“We tried masking it with air fresheners, but that just made the problem worse,” Lorenzini said. “We couldn’t dry clean our clothes before we sold them.”

The last straw came when grease began streaming down the back wall of Urban Sole from the ventilation system, Lorenzini said. The partners tried to work out solutions with LaPidus and the building’s owner, John Rot, but without success, Lorenzini said.

Patrick Benjamin, community development director for La Grange, said the village tried assisting in the situation, but the problem was essentially between the landlord and tenants, and the solution was expensive.

LaPidus and Rot couldn’t be reached before The Doings deadline Tuesday evening.

Y & Z Kids

In the West End business district, Y & Z Kids, at 711 W. Hillgrove Ave., began marking down inventory Jan. 31 and plans to close its doors Feb. 16.

An e-mail to customers explained that the family situation of owners Elani and Geoff Zissimopoulos had changed since starting the business six years ago, first on La Grange Road, and later as one of the prominent shops in the West End business district surrounding the historic Stone Avenue train station.

“As your families have grown, so has ours, and we feel now, more than ever, it’s time for our family to move on,” the e-mail read. “Y & Z Kids has a long list of loyal customers, and many of you have stayed with us these six years, making it possible for us to survive, even thrive, during these times of economic hardship.”

“It’s been very busy,” said clerk Dory Kenna of the markdowns bringing customers for children’s clothing and toys.

Kenna said she couldn’t comment further, and the owners could not be reached for comment.

New restaurant

Despite a challenging economic climate for many businesses to dive into, representatives of Mezza Mediterranean Grill said the former Chipotle’s space, at 1 S. La Grange Road, was just what they wanted.

“La Grange felt like an exciting community because one of our goals was to start catering to families and be there providing healthy meals, protein-rich entrees and salads for the community,” said Nick Cupani, district manager of four Loop restaurants.

“We’ve been getting very good reviews so far,” Cupani said of business since the restaurant’s opening Jan. 26. “The kabobs are just flying off the grill. Salads fly downtown, but people here seem to love the kabobs.”

La Grange is the chain’s largest location with 97 seats, including 20 anticipated for al fresco diners in the spring, and it’s the first restaurant with expanded hours.

“Our Loop restaurants are open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, but this location will be open seven days a week for lunch and dinner,” Cupani said.

The menu features such Middle Eastern dishes as spit-roasted chicken, beef or lamb shawarma, pita sandwiches or wraps, grilled kabobs and salads. Side dishes include hummus, falafel, fatoosh and tabouleh and Turkish lentil soup. Menu items range from $1.75 to $3.25 for sides to $6.50 to $10.49 for sandwiches and combination platters.

A Japanese restaurant plans to open in the next several months at 35 S. La Grange Road, Benjamin said. The owners operate two other restaurants in Orland Park and Frankfort, he said.