St. Charles restaurant closes

Erik & Me, a riverfront restaurant that over two decades became a staple of dining in downtown St. Charles, has closed unexpectedly.

The eatery at 1 W. Illinois St. shut its doors last weekend without notice, and its latest operator has not been heard from.

Known for its salad bar, award-winning cuisine, and patio view of the Fox River, the restaurant was a "local icon," said David Richards, city alderman and executive director of the Downtown St. Charles Partnership.

Richards said business leaders are talking about putting another eating establishment in the same spot.

"We do know that it is closed right now, and there are plans to bring back a restaurant at that site in the foreseeable future," he said. "We hope to have some definitive answer in a couple of weeks."

Attempts to reach Jonji Gaffud of Villa Park, who took over the eatery last July, were unsuccessful Friday. No one answered the phone at the St. Charles location, and the line at Gaffud's other restaurant, Pacific Blue in Glen Ellyn, was disconnected.

Erik & Me opened in 1983. Its closing comes six months after the neighboring Ragamuffin Coffee House in the Fox Island Square shopping center went out of business.

Ragamuffin owners cited a drop in sales because of a $105 million redevelopment project taking place on nearby First Street.

Gaffud said in January that at times he felt "smothered" by the project, which includes road and bridge closings that can make getting to Fox Island Square a chore for motorists.

In recent months, the partnership -- a nonprofit advocacy group for downtown businesses -- organized cookouts, put up signs and put on public events in an effort to increase traffic to businesses near the project.

Richards said Friday other establishments in the area still are reporting financial struggles, but for the most part are "holding their own."

The reconstruction is slated for completion in 2012. The plan includes six blocks of restaurants, retail, offices and condos.

"Obviously, with the reconstruction project, that's going to be an absolute gold mine as far as being right there in the middle of the redevelopment," Richards said.