After 20 years, Wee-Dee's in South Elgin is on the move

A staple of downtown South Elgin is on the move after 20 years.

But don't worry, it's only going a couple of blocks up the street.

Wee-Dee's Restaurant, a well-known fast food spot, is moving from the corner of LaFox and State streets to the former Pizza Hut location at 210 N. LaFox.

The village of South Elgin purchased the corner property from Wee-Dee's for $330,000.

Owner Jimmy Kapasouris said the opportunity to move presented itself and he jumped at it.

“It's triple the parking and double the interior space,” he said. The restaurant now will have room to add video gaming and will also offer beer and wine in addition to some liquor choices. The new location is similar in size to the other Wee-Dee's restaurant in Bartlett. The new location also will have room for an outdoor dining area.

“We've redone the whole building inside and out, down to the studs,” Kapasouris said. “And in some cases also the studs.” The outside is resurfaced with new brick and stone and the inside is completely repaired and refreshed, he said.

“It's a good feeling to know that we're starting completely over, but in the same area,” he said. “Not a lot of people get that opportunity without having to close down for a year.”

Kapasouris said the old location served customers well for a long time, but had its limits. He repainted it every few years and added a new awning a few years ago.

“We couldn't ask for a better restaurant for the last 20 years, but we could only doll it up so much,” he said. “It was time for a change.”

And that change had to be somewhere nearby.

“We love South Elgin,” Kapasouris said. “They've been great to us.”

The village purchased the existing property using TIF funds and approved it at the Sept. 8 village board of trustees meeting. The building will be torn down and the site used for parking, at least temporarily.

“Wee-Dee's has been in South Elgin for more than 20 years, and we're thrilled they're investing in a larger presence in the Village Center,” said Craig Pierce, communications specialist with the village. “With the additional growth of housing across all parts of town, the infrastructure improvements in the Village Center, and the easy access via trails, we're optimistic more businesses and restaurants will follow suit.”