Schaumburg Barnaby's closing after 43 years

Barnaby's Family Inn in Schaumburg — a staple of the community for 43 years — will be closing at the end of the month to the dismay of its regulars.

For the last 32 of those years, the restaurant at 134 W. Golf Road has been owned by Tom and Julie Limperis, who bought it from their former employer — original owner Angelo Geocaris.

Tom Limperis believes market forces have brought about the natural end of a good, long run for him. But he's considering opening a small carryout and delivery service in the area with much less overhead next year.

“It's been a great 32 years … it's just the cost of doing business,” the 68-year-old Limperis said of why he is closing. “The cost of doing business in Cook County is astronomical. It's hard for independents to keep up, even though it's a great location.”

The building itself has reached the point where it's due for some major repairs, but Limperis didn't feel he was ready to take on that kind of work again at his age.

Instead, he's sold the site to Zeigler Chrysler Dodge Jeep next door, which will incorporate the land into its expansion for a new Fiat dealership.

Limperis said he wants people to know the dealership didn't force him out, but that the sale represents the best interests of both businesses.

After taking some time to make his decision, Limperis had come to feel comfortable with it. But the emotional reaction of his patrons since he first posted news of the closing a few days ago has made him realize this will be an emotional transition for him as well.

“I can't tell you what a magnificent time I've had making money and doing business at the restaurant,” Limperis said. “It's been fun. It's been a fantastic 32 years. I've employed a lot of great people.”

Limperis already had some personal experience in the restaurant business, but first came to work for Geocaris as a sales manager for Schlitz Beer.

After Geocaris started the Barnaby's Family Inn chain in the late ‘60s, Limperis and his wife began working at the Schaumburg location.

Geocaris began selling off the restaurants individually in the late ‘70s, but was having more trouble finding a buyer for the Schaumburg site.

He suggested that the Limperises themselves might want to buy it, and only 40 days later — on Jan. 1, 1980 — it was theirs.

Geocaris made it as easy as he could for the couple, Limperis said, offering to buy the restaurant back if they couldn't handle it and find another buyer.

“He was a very dynamic person,” Limperis said of the late Geocaris, a prominent Chicago area political fundraiser and businessman who died in 2003. “It was a very different time then.”

But things did work out for the couple and business went smoothly for about 30 years before rising Cook County taxes brought about his recent dilemma, Limperis said.

As the calendar changes to 2012 when the restaurant closes in a few weeks, it will be exactly 32 years to the day since the Limperises took control of a popular Schaumburg business which predates even Woodfield Mall.