By Ricky Rieckert
This week, we start at Illinois Avenue and North Lake Street in Aurora.
At the northeast corner was Golden Bear Restaurant.
I remember going there at midnight, with a couple of friends on a Friday night.
There was a waiting list, to be seated.
One friend, gave the girl the name of Theodore Nugent.
Approximately 15 minutes later, there was an announcement throughout the restaurant, Ted Nugent, party of three.
Everyone turned around, Ted was a rock star.
It was great.
Later, the restaurant became a Pizza Hut for many years.
It’s now a Mexican restaurant.
Approximately a half-block away, was Tijuana Tacos, a Mexican restaurant. Tom Dale, Sr. owned it.
Great tacos and for desert, an Apple Annie.
It was an apple turnover, heated up with American cheese. Delicious.
Tom Dale, Jr. was a godsend carpenter and construction builder and added to the back of the restaurant, to make a cantina.
Years later Pepe’s Restaurant opened, and is still there today.
Moving north, on the west side, is Northgate Shopping Center.
Sears, which used to be in downtown Aurora, was in the building that later occupied Bergner’s, then Carson Pirie Scott, until it closed.
Further north on the east side, was the original Oberweis Dairy.
North of that one block, was Marc’s Big Boy, a hamburger joint and a place for kids in the 1960s to show off their cars.
Today, it’s Nikkary’s Restaurant.
A little north, was Long John Silver’s, a restaurant with fish.
Across the street, was the Italian U-Boat, a submarine sandwich place, that I personally think is better than Subway.
Now it’s Taco Bell.
Have a great week.