Open House: Storied eatery moves into new space at former Hardee's
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Randy Feuillerat enjoys a spaghetti and meatballs lunch at The Italian House. He said it was his second time this week at the recently moved restaurant.
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The Italian House restaurant moved next door into the former Hardee’s restaurant space on Racine Street.
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Allen Tosch puts a tray of sourdough bread dough into the oven at the newly moved Italian House Restaurant in the former Hardees location in Janesville.
JANESVILLE — Greasy cheeseburgers are a thing of the past.
Monday, The Italian House welcomed its first customers after moving from Randall Avenue across the parking lot into the vacant Hardee’s building on Racine Street.
So far, business has been good.
“We’ve been swamped,” Edmund Halabi said Thursday afternoon. “It seems like every day more and more people come in.”
The process began mid-May to move the staple Italian eatery next door, he said. The doors opened eight weeks later.
The move was a massive undertaking, both physically and financially. Halabi wanted to lose the Hardee’s style and bring in a Tuscany or Florentine feel to the building. He replaced the parking lot, changed the building’s façade, gutted the kitchen and added all new wiring, plumbing and appliances.
Some things never change
Many of Halabi’s customers grew up eating at The Italian House and frequently return, he said as he greeted a customer by name.
One of his current servers is the daughter of one of his first servers when the restaurant opened 21 years ago, he said.
“We’re building a second generation of kids growing up with us,” he said. “When people come back to town, we’re their first visit when they get in.”
The menu, aside from the addition of a couple items, remains the same, and the infamous brick wall with the signatures of Craig graduates decorates the interior.
Rough road
Halabi moved to the United States from Liberia, Africa, when he was 18. He went to college to become a medical lab technician and worked in restaurants to pay the bills.
After graduation, he worked in a medical lab for nine months before realizing he enjoyed the restaurant business so much he wanted to open his own.
He realized Janesville didn’t have a restaurant specializing in Italian pasta and wanted to claim the fare as his niche.
“(The people) never really had this cuisine before,” he said.
Halabi opened his first Italian House on Milton Avenue on July 17, 1987. As the months went by, “it just wasn’t happening,” Halabi said. He and his wife nearly went bankrupt on the restaurant.
He drove around town and noticed a building next to Craig High School for rent. By January 1988, Halabi had closed the Milton Avenue location and opened on Randall Avenue.
Business boomed, mostly with Craig students during their lunch period, but the summer was filled with adult customers who wished to avoid the student crowds.
Despite tough beginnings, The Italian House has fared well for Halabi.
“We’ve worked hard to get where we are,” he said. “This (new building) is a thank you from me to Janesville for all of their support over the years.”
Jul 15, 2008 at 12:53 p.m.
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Seriousely Test?? Really?? So you should only make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches??
Jul 15, 2008 at 12:06 p.m.
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Leave it to Testeriffic to post such an obnoxious comment. Let's enjoy the fact that the food and service is excellent and be proud that this business has thrived over the years. This is something positive for Janesville and that is something to be excited about.
Jul 15, 2008 at 8:16 a.m.
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Leave it to Janesville to require a Liberian to offer "authentic Italian cuisine" to the philistines. On that note, are there any Japanese entrepreneurs out there that can offer me some authentic Lithuanian fare? I have been waiting for far too long now! Quite frankly, I will settle for any Dutch entrepreneurs that can offer me some decent Mexican food though. God help me, I enjoy Dutch tacos. I enjoy them almost as much as I enjoy Irish Baklava. But Irish Baklava is hard to come across in "these parts".
Jul 15, 2008 at 8:01 a.m.
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bubbles - go back and read the article again. It says "The menu, aside from the addition of a couple items, remains the same, and the infamous brick wall with the signatures of Craig graduates decorates the interior." That should answer your question.
Jul 15, 2008 at 7:41 a.m.
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Or rather, did "the wall" make the move also??
Jul 15, 2008 at 7:39 a.m.
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Did "the wall" make ever materialize at he new place??
Jul 12, 2008 at 6:33 p.m.
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Congrats to Edmund! He is about as nice of a guy as you can get. I sold to him many years ago, and he was always a pleasure to do business with.
Jul 11, 2008 at 7:26 p.m.
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Congratulations to the Italian House. I live 2 blocks from there & when my son was in high school 12-16 years ago, the owner always gave him free, freshly baked bread on his way to Saturday detention at Craig. They are successful because they recognize the good in children. They are wonderful people and have wonderful food.
Jul 11, 2008 at 3:56 p.m.
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No we don't deliver sorry!
Jul 11, 2008 at 2:29 p.m.
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i just want to know if they deliver because i want some for my lunch break! haha
Jul 11, 2008 at 2:22 p.m.
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They are open 10-8 in the dining room and til 8:45 carry out...I have worked there for 6 years and we have been busier this last week than we have ever been! If you ask for the gondolas Saturday we can do the sandwiches separate too and then they are better on Sunday!
Jul 11, 2008 at 1:44 p.m.
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I'm realllllllllly craving their bread right now!
Jul 11, 2008 at 1:39 p.m.
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Lakennedy: Thanks for all the information on the drive-thru ... your help is much appreciated.
Jul 11, 2008 at 1:32 p.m.
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Hannah,
I've tried, believe me. Lettuce gets so gross when left in the fridge!!! Besides, I don't think anything beats a fresh Gondola. God, I love that place. I know where I'm eating tonight:)
Jul 11, 2008 at 1:27 p.m.
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do they deliver?
Jul 11, 2008 at 12:17 p.m.
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I think they should open a second one down the street from Parker, theres that small strip mall right there. More money, and more income. I know of a lot of my fellow graduates that ate there just as much, if not more then the Craig kids.
Jul 11, 2008 at 12:14 p.m.
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You can find hours of operation and menus at gazlo.com
Jul 11, 2008 at 12:05 p.m.
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It was actually across the street from McDonald's in what is now the cash store (or something like that).
Jul 11, 2008 at 11:59 a.m.
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I'm not sure about exact hours, but I know they are open Monday-Saturday. I wish that they'd stay open for Sundays, I always want to serve Gondolas at Packer parties. I guess they deserve a day off every once in a while...
Jul 11, 2008 at 11:49 a.m.
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What days and hours are they open?
Jul 11, 2008 at 11:14 a.m.
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The one on Milton Ave is where the Cigarette Depot currently is. Just south of Blackbridge.
Jul 11, 2008 at 10:31 a.m.
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I was there Monday and the food and service is just as good as before!!! I really like the inside of the restaurant. Way more room and the way they incorporated the signed walls is wonderful. Good luck to you in the future. You have a great restaurant and I really hope it continues to grow:-)
Jul 11, 2008 at 10:07 a.m.
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I think it's awesome. I've driven by there a few times in the past few days and there have been serveral times that the parking lot is nearly full. I've yet to stop in but I plan on doing so soon. Congratulations!
Jul 11, 2008 at 9:41 a.m.
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Just order ahead, and then tell them the time you want to pick it up!!! I have the number programmed in my phone if anyone needs it, it is 608-754-2226!!!
Jul 11, 2008 at 9:35 a.m.
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Do you order ahead and pick up the food at the drive-thru or can you order at the drive-thru also?
Jul 11, 2008 at 9:24 a.m.
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Mmmm mmmm mmmmm!
Jul 11, 2008 at 9:11 a.m.
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I was skeptical at first about the move, but I have to say: IT IS AWESOME!!! The drive-thru, especially.
I love this place. I'm glad to see it doing well:)
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