Arlington Heights restaurant a beacon in blizzard

One of the only businesses that stayed open in downtown Arlington Heights Tuesday night and Wednesday morning was one of its oldest and most beloved.

Dunton House Restaurant, which has been open since 1969 and run by Palatine residents Bill and Nancy Tsapralis, was still serving food as nearly two feet of snow fell outside. As customers left, the Tsapralis’s gave them free chicken soup in a to-go container.

“In case the people couldn’t get out today, then they’d have something to eat. We have a lot of good customers. They’re like family,” said Bill Tsapralis. “Anyone who comes today I’ll give them some soup. (This storm) is one of the worst I’ve seen,” he said Wednesday.

On Wednesday morning, Tsapralis said there were 5-foot snow drifts in the restaurant’s alley, and he had to leave at 5 a.m. to travel a few miles and open the restaurant at 6 a.m.

Since the waitress hasn’t been able to get there yet, Nancy Tsapralis was taking orders and waiting tables. As of 8:30 a.m., the bulk of their customers had been ComEd crews who came in to warm up.

“We’re trying to keep it open,” he said. “But everything’s shut down in the downtown area. Nobody’s out. It’s a ghost town.”

After the snow stopped Wednesday, business picked up but they still end up closing early.

“We ended up having a very busy day,” it said on the Dunton House Facebook page Wednesday afternoon. “A lot of alcohol was consumed!”