Photo credit: Claudio Rodriguez – Chief Photographer

By: Mykola Washchuk – Staff Writer

LA GRANGE, Ill – For more than two decades, Blueberry Hill has been a familiar stop for breakfast in downtown La Grange. While customers may come for pancakes, omelets or skillets, the restaurant’s owners and employees say it’s the connection to the community that has kept people coming back.

The La Grange location opened in 2001, eight years after the first Blueberry Hill restaurant opened in Bridgeview. Since then, the family-owned business has expanded to eight locations while remaining under the same family’s ownership. 

Chris Manolis, who has managed the La Grange restaurant for 26 years, explains how the breakfast spot came to be. 

“My brother opened it up back in ‘93,” Manolis said. “He grew up in the restaurant business, so when he came of age, he wanted to open up his own restaurant.” 

The restaurant’s name was inspired by one of breakfast’s more recognizable menu items. 

“[My brother] wanted something to do with breakfast,” Manolis said. “Everybody loved blueberry pancakes, so that’s how he got the name.” 

As the business has grown over the years, Manolis said Blueberry Hill has stayed rooted in the communities it serves. 

“Blueberry Hill is a part of [the] local community, supports [the] local community,” he said. “People become part of our families.” 

Manolis said regular customers have played a major role in the restaurant’s success. 

“They’re very important,” he said. “Not only are they coming to visit us frequently; they bring in new customers, and it’s a good way to get the name out there from mouth to mouth.” 

That emphasis on relationships extends to the restaurant’s staff as well. 

Anna Marie Arias has worked for Blueberry Hill for nearly seven years, including a year at the La Grange location. She said the workplace culture begins with management. 

“Chris [Manolis], our boss, is a great person to work for,” Arias said. “He takes good care of his staff, which is very important in the restaurant business.” 

She added that Manolis regularly asks employees for feedback and is actively involved in the restaurant’s day-to-day operations.

Arias said the consistency of both the staff and the customer experience has helped Blueberry Hill remain successful despite changes in the restaurant industry. 

“I think it’s because it’s been so consistent over the years,” she said. 

Manolis believes the restaurant’s success ultimately belongs to the community that has supported it for more than 20 years. 

“We do our part and open up the business,” he said. “But it’s the people, the customers, that make us who we are… the support is huge.”  

As Blueberry Hill looks toward the future, Manolis hopes the family business will continue serving local communities for years to come—perhaps with the next generation eventually taking the reins.