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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING THE LIFE OF JOHN THANOUKOS
WHEREAS, a highly successful restaurateur, John Thanoukos was as equally devoted to his family; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Thanoukos emigrated to the United States from the small southern Greek town of Stadio in 1970, where he had been a potato farmer and where he would later be remembered as a generous benefactor; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Thanoukos began working in restaurants in Chicago as a busboy and short order cook, eventually opening many successful restaurants: Hub's in Skokie in 1976; a second Hub's established in 1981 at 5540 N. Lincoln in Chicago; Bub's at 5800 W. Irving Park Road in Chicago; Goodi's in Niles; GRK Greek Kitchen in Chicago's Loop; and GRK Kitchen at Chicago's Northwestern Memorial Hospital; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Thanoukos' success in the restaurant industry was attributable to - aside from his sweat equity - his willingness to innovate; for example, he was one of the first local restaurateurs to feature the now-popular cones of gyros meat that turn on vertical spits; and
WHEREAS, other factors in Mr. Thanoukos' success were his commitment to high quality ingredients and his skill in improving upon conventional recipes; and
WHEREAS, with his own recipe for tzatziki - a zingy sauce made of sour cream and cucumber - Mr. Thanoukos inspired a customer, a soon-to-be writer at Saturday Night Live, to create a televised skit celebrating Mr. Thanoukos' tagline, "You like-a da juice, ah?"; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Thanoukos was always sensitive to the plight of fellow immigrants; one of his restaurant managers was originally hired shortly after she had arrived from Bosnia, without knowing English; another employee spoke of how Mr. Thanoukos had been like a father to him over the course of the 23 years he was in Mr. Thanoukos' employ; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Thanoukos' care extended to his customers as well; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Thanoukos married the love of his life, Angie, who had immigrated ...
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