Regina’s restaurant in W. Dundee closing Sunday
After seven years of serving up veal and cannoli in West Dundee, Regina’s Italian Restaurant is closing its doors for the last time this weekend.
Citing the tanking economy, the owners say they held on as long as they could and fought the good fight. Sunday is the restaurant’s last day of business and the owners are hoping its patrons join them for dinner and a final toast.
“I’m sorry to have released that information, but we had to do it,” said Philip Campanella, who co-owns the eatery with his wife, Regina. “We’ve been fighting since 2008 and it ain’t going nowhere.”
The Campanellas, married for almost 34 years, first opened Regina’s in Arlington Heights in 1985 and that restaurant lasted until 2009 when the Campanellas sold it — the eatery is now known as Carlos and Carlos Italian restaurant.
Philip Campanella, who hails from Sicily, named Regina’s after his wife — Regina means queen in Italian and, he says, “she is definitely my queen.”
The Campanellas, of Palatine, expanded their business in 2005 by opening a second location in West Dundee. The couple were living in Marengo at the time.
“I figured I’d go in my backyard,” Regina Campanella said.
The new location had everything the Campanellas were looking for. It offered higher visibility and a bigger bar, kitchen, restaurant space and a parking lot.
Business was booming until the economy soured in 2008, Phil Campanella said, forcing the couple to dip into their savings to keep the restaurant going. It also meant they didn’t replace employees as they left.
West Dundee Village Manager Joe Cavallaro said it didn’t help that there was an Olive Garden down the street from Regina’s.
“That’s the competition and, regrettably, people just gravitate to the chains as opposed to the independents,” said Cavallaro, who ate at Regina’s twice a week. “They’ve got a good product and good ambience, but they just can’t get people in the door.”
There are 15 employees working there now. The Campanellas are working with their contacts in the restaurant industry to help them secure jobs.
“My employees are like family,” Phil Campanella said. “We treat them like family.”
The Campanella’s aren’t sure what’s next for them. Phil thinks about opening another restaurant someday.
“It’s in my blood. I mean, I’ve done this forever. I’ve done this since I came to this country, so I think I’ll come back in,” he said. “If not, I might just end up cooking for my family.”
Regina’s is the third eatery to close in West Dundee since December. McDonald’s left Spring Hill Mall in December over a leasing dispute and a corporate decision to close several Old Country Buffet restaurants nationwide meant the one at Spring Hill Mall had to close.