5 questions: ‘It’s all about love,’ long-time restauranteur says

PEORIA HEIGHTS - A couple of blocks south of where the Spotted Cow served ice cream for about 20 years, founder Frank Abdnour shared some time at his new Italian beef venture, Frank’s, hours before opening the doors one morning.

Abdnour, 66, likes serving people – even serving as Peoria Township Supervisor from 2017-2021. He lost races in 2021 and this year (but agrees that one-for-three is a decent average, as his friend and Hall of Famer Jim Thome might note).

Born in Streator, Abdnour was the youngest of seven kids – 2 girls and 5 boys – who moved to Peoria when Frank was 7. He attended St. Bernard and Spalding, then “USC – the University of Spotted Cow,” he says.

Before selling that business, Frank and his wife Donna worked together to make it a success. She passed away four years ago this month.

Between emptying a trash can, having an electrician finish some repairs, and accepting the day’s delivery of fresh hoagie rolls from Trefzger's Bakery down the hill, Frank chuckles, shrugs and says, “It never ends,” and sits down and answers the Community Word’s “Five Questions”:

 

1. Is the restaurant business as challenging as it’s said?

It’s always had the highest failure rate for businesses, something like 85% fail in the first few years. It’s hard work; you can’t do it for the money. But if you love it, it’s not work – and I’d forgotten how much I love it.

Also, restaurants have been romanticized by TV. There, you don’t see equipment problems, the steam table’s gas running out, the problems, the bills. For me, Donna handled all that behind-the-scenes stuff, the bookkeeping, correspondence and so on. She didn’t really want the people contact  -- which I love.

On the one hand, you don’t need a degree; I can’t be a lawyer or doctor. But restaurants can be open to creativity. On the other hand, restaurants love money; they want you to sink every dime into them. So, again, you have to have a love.

 

2. What’s the opposite – the easiest job?

Work for somebody else. Let them embrace the risks.

 

3. Have you even given any advice to Jim Thome?

No, no – although I pitched to him once. And another time he was thinking about opening a breakfast place. He decided against it. Maybe he had a thought like when I threw to him: ‘Ah, that’s not for me.’

 

4. What’s the last “escape” for you – that last good book, maybe?

I don’t read a lot of books – I read articles and stuff online – but I enjoyed “Kitchen Confidential” by Anthony Bourdain.

 

5. Your son and daughter are part of the new eatery. Any recommendations for working with family?

Noah wanted to get involved, and Sydney works in marketing, so she’s handling that part of things. I know: Significant others can be a big, important part of success in anything. But maybe everybody should stay in their lane.