Elgin council OKs plan for rebranded Porter's Pub with Italian fare
Porter's Pub in Elgin will be rebranded next year with a new name and a menu of Italian cuisine and pub favorites after its operator and the city's director of golf operations made a successful pitch to the Elgin City Council on Wednesday night.
Council members voted 7-2 to amend the lease renewal with Joe Carlucci and evaluate how the change works out in about a year.
"I'm pretty passionate about the idea of rebranding," said Carlucci, also saying Elgin lacks an Italian restaurant.
Carlucci is partnering with chef Jonathan Harootunian, who will work daily at the restaurant at 1250 Bowes Creek Road. Harootunian's experience includes Harvest Room in Palos Heights, the former Vivere restaurant in Chicago and the Michelin-starred former Courtright's in Willow Springs.
The new name for Porter's Pub hasn't been decided yet; initially it was going to be Gianni's Cucina Italiana, but another option is Johnny's Supper Club, Carlucci said.
Porter's Pub is on the grounds of the Bowes Creek Country Club golf course owned by the city. Carlucci has had a contract to operate the restaurant since 2012 after the first operator failed. The current agreement states the city will get 5% of all pub revenues exceeding $1.1 million per year, but that threshold has never been hit.
The new agreement calls for $12,000 annual base rent starting in 2022.
"There are very few people in this area who can do what you do, successfully," Councilman Terry Gavin said. "It is crucial to the success of Bowes Creek and to the success of our operations to have somebody like you in there."
Other council members grilled Carlucci in the wake of an online survey done this month by city staff members at the request of the city council. There were 703 respondents, 78% from Elgin, with generally favorable opinions about cleanliness, the grill and beverage cart, and service by servers and bartenders. They had less favorable opinions about order time, appetizers, entrees and specials.
Carlucci, who plans to reinvest $75,000 into the rebranding of the restaurant, acknowledged those are areas for improvement but also defended his restaurant and his more than 30 years of experience in the business.
"Even though the survey comes back that way, our experience comes back much higher than that," he said.
Mike Lehmann, director of golf operations for the city, spoke highly of Carlucci's work in hosting golf outings, fundraisers, banquets and a variety of events including whiskey tastings - all of which, Lehmann said, are a crucial component of golf operations.
Elgin Parks and Recreation Foundation board President Randy Reopelle, the former director of parks and recreation for the city, said Carlucci and his staff have been great partners to the foundation, whose most successful annual fundraiser for youth scholarships is held at Bowes Creek Country Club. Porter's Pub provides free beer, food and staffing, and helps organize and market the event, Reopelle said.
"My commitment to what goes on at Bowes Creek Country Club is far more than an operator," Carlucci said. "I have a very emotional attachment to it. Even though I am not a resident of Elgin, I feel very much a part of the community as a result of it."
Councilwomen Carol Rauschenberger and Tish Powell voted against amending Carlucci's lease. Powell said she would have considered a two-year lease; Rauschenberger indicated she'd favor a local business taking over the restaurant, just as it happened a few years ago at The Highlands of Elgin golf course.
The owner of Dog's Paw Brewing, which has plans to move from downtown Elgin to Hoffman Estates, recently inquired with city officials about the availability of Porter's Pub, although that was not mentioned during the council meeting.