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Posted: Sunday, 31 May 2009 10:54PM
Popular North Side restaurant trimming hours dramatically
Bob Roberts Reporting
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CHICAGO, Ill. (WBBM) -- A Near North Side restaurant that is a favorite for many is trimming its hours dramatically, effective Monday.
Dinner is off the menu at the Original Mitchell's, at 1953 N. Clybourn Av., and it has a number of regulars concerned.
"I think business is bad. It just reflects the economy," said Stan Horn, who conceded that he generally thinks of Mitchell's as a breakfast place.
For years closing time was midnight, and for the past year it was at 9 p.m. on weekdays. Effective Monday, it is 3 p.m.
Manager Steve Katsaros said business remains good at breakfast and lunch, although not as good as it was a few years ago. Katsaros said suppertime business has been "steady" and that the restaurant has had "a loyal core of patrons" at all hours, but said evening traffic has not been good enough to make money in a down economy.
Despite that, he said, it would be simplistic to attribute all of the problem to people eating out less.
"I don't know if I can blame it all on the economy," he said. "Previously we had increased costs. A lot of our fixed costs went up -- labor costs, occupancy costs -- and then we have the recession now, where all the prices seem to be going down but a lot of the restaurant owners are still faced with high costs."
He said landlords are not in a position to reduce rents because of what they owe to mortgage bankers.
"We have to try to cut our costs, and that's one thing we did," he said.
Katsaros knows. He also works as a real estate agent.
Katsaros said the newest menu has raised prices "a bit," but he said that's not a solution. The restaurant operated for many years with a staff of 40, but Katsaros said he trimmed that by several people since the recession began. Eliminating the evening shift meant five more employees were let go, "some of whom were with us for years." He said it was painful to do.
The change may not be permanent. Katsaros said he would consider re-instituting dinner hours once the economy improves, and if the demand is there.
"Let me know what you think and if you like Mitchell's, please come and see us," he said.
He also refused to rule out moving the restaurant to a location that would allow the operation to be "more flexible."
While the hours and prices have changed, Katsaros said the menu remains the same -- dependable egg dishes, pancakes and rolls, with a bottomless cup of coffee.
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