The idea for an Italian cannoli business
A trip to Japan sparked Tony Volpentesta's entrepreneurial ideas to launch a business making Italian cannolis.
Volpentesta was very interested in the simplicity of the food while he visited Japan a couple of years ago. The trip also encouraged him to dive into his Italian roots. He started making pasta, cannoli and other Italian foods.
He focused on the cannoli and made a variety, including with chocolate chips and other ingredients. "My philosophy has been 'keep it simple'" when creating the sweet treats and the business, named Tony Cannoli.
Volpentesta, 26, launched the cannoli business from his grandmother's kitchen in Lake Forest about a year ago. He was working at Rita Pia's Pizzaria on Milwaukee Avenue in Libertyville at the time and now shares space with the pizza shop to bake the cannoli.
"I have five staple cannoli flavors," Volpentesta said. He sells the dessert at the pizzeria, takes special orders and had his product available at several farmers markets over the summer.
Volpentesta, who grew up in Mundelein, studied business and marketing at Marquette University. Prior to getting into the food industry, he enjoyed running and worked at a Mundelein running store.
"I have a new passion now," Volpentesta said of the cannoli business that he continues to grow. The cannolis range in price from $2.50 for one to $22 for a dozen.
Volpentesta offers catering and delivery services. For information, text or call him at (847) 668-5077.
Hot project
Morgan/Harbour of Woodridge has been selected to complete a 24,000 square foot build-out for Portillo's corporate office within Commerce Plaza at 2001 Spring Road in Oak Brook.
Founded by Dick Portillo in 1963, Portillo's is a chain of restaurants located throughout Illinois, Indiana, California and Arizona that specialize in serving Chicago-style food. The firm is relocating from another floor within the Commerce Plaza Office Complex.
"We're excited to begin this project for a longtime Chicago area company and icon," said Warren Seil, president and partner of Morgan/Harbour Construction. "We expect to begin construction this month and have the new offices ready for occupancy in January 2016."
Morgan/Harbour's construction team will be led by Andy MacMillan, project executive, Noah Warriner, project manager and Jerry Hawkinson as the project superintendent. Whitney Architects is providing the architectural services and CBRE is the tenant representative for Commerce Plaza.
Construction complete for retail project
The Missner Group of Skokie announced that the firm has completed construction on the extensive infrastructure for a multiphase retail development on behalf of GlenStar Properties.
The 22-acre property is located near the interchange of Willow Road and I-294 near the new headquarters of the Americas for Astellas Pharma US in Glenview.
The Missner Group facilitated the substantial collaboration between the construction team, developer, civil engineers and the villages of Northbrook and Glenview. The project included the construction of roads, sidewalks and multiple large-scale parking lots as well as both above and below ground detention areas. The Missner Group also completed extensive landscaping, the construction of a site for a multistory senior living facility, a national fitness facility, and built amenities catered to multiple national retail tenants.
The construction team was led by Executive Vice President Glen Missner, Vice President of Construction Drue Stoehr and Project Superintendent Angelo Christopher. Manhard Consulting was the civil engineer.
Director named
Vijay Gadde, economic development director in Oswego, joined the Northern Illinois Commercial Association of Realtors (NICAR) board a few weeks ago.
In his role as a director, Gadde will help organize programs for the mutual improvements and education of its members.
NICAR is a commercial trade association covering 13 counties in northern Illinois, including Cook, DuPage, Kane, Ogle, DeKalb, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, Kankakee, Grundy, Will, Boone and Winnebago. NICAR as an organization is the only "voice" that advances the interests of commercial practitioners, Gadde said.
Clinic opens
The Joint Chiropractic will open its first clinic in the state at 1426 Meacham Road in Schaumburg.
The Joint in Schaumburg is owned by Direct Chiropractic, SC and managed by The Joint Corp., one of the fastest-growing franchisers in health care.
The Joint Chiropractic expects to open seven additional clinics by the end of 2015.
"We are coming to Illinois because it is time for this large and important market to have access to convenient and affordable chiropractic care," said John Richards, CEO of The Joint Corp.
Purchase made
Phoenix-based Hannay Realty Advisors announced that it has acted as an adviser to MDC Realty Advisors and Nicola Crosby on the purchase of One O'Hare Center, a 380,360 square foot office building in Rosemont.
The building is 96 percent occupied by tenants providing a stable income stream with an opportunity for future rental growth.
With this transaction, Hannay has now acted as an adviser on over $500 million in commercial property acquisitions since 2012. "We are very pleased to add One O'Hare Center to our growing management portfolio in the Chicago market," said company President Craig Hannay.