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Illinois Street Food Emporium, an institution in the Butler-Tarkington neighborhood for 46 years, is changing owners.
Vivian Farris, who acquired the cafe, bakery and catering business in 2014 from founders Ernie and Sue Kobets, is selling it to Matthew Williford, who will become a first-time restaurant owner. A closing is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Farris, who turns 67 in September and plans to retire, said she had an “amazing 11 years” as owner. She described herself as “emotional” and “grateful” as she made the “bittersweet” decision to sell the business at 5550 N. Illinois St.
Illinois Street Food Emporium, founded in 1979, was already a neighborhood staple when it was acquired by Farris. She did little to alter the fresh deli/bakery concept, which often draws long lines of customers during lunch hours. The extensive menu features warm and cold sandwiches on homemade breads, salads, soups, omelets, breakfast sandwiches, quiche, bakery items and more.
Farris, who has about 20 full-time employees, said catering makes up about 20% of the business. Grab-and-go items are also popular, which helped the business navigate the COVID pandemic when indoor seating was shut down.
Williford, who turns 24 in September, said it has been a longtime dream of his to own a restaurant. He began looking into starting or buying one two or three years ago and decided that acquiring an established business made more sense at this stage in his career.
Since graduating from Purdue University in December 2023 with degrees in history and political science, Williford has been serving as an “entrepreneur in residence” for several local business founders, learning the in and outs of business ownership. The Bishop Chatard graduate said he has several “good people” behind him as investors and advisers.
Williford said he doesn’t have plans to change anything at Illinois Street Food Emporium, including the existing staff.
“This has been a staple of the community, an institution that’s become part of people’s lives,” he said. “We’re going to keep it the way it is.”
While Williford doesn’t yet have a track record in business, he does have a history of starting and overseeing organizations. In 2018, as a 16-year-old, he founded the Primrose Village-Northdale Neighborhood Association in Broad Ripple, originally as a crime watch. He still serves as president of the neighborhood group.
Farris has a long history in the local restaurant industry, previously serving as general manager at Talbott Street Nightclub, TGI Fridays and Malibu Grill. She said she was “excited and looking forward to the adventures ahead” in her retirement and would become a loyal customer of Illinois Street Food Emporium.
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Good luck to the first timer!
He’ll need some good luck. I’ve been down this path and know many who have as well. My advice would have been to be a GM at a place for a year or two before buying a place. Hopefully he’ll have a strong GM that he keeps on to actually run the place until he learns the ropes.
Vivian has been wonderful and we will all miss her!
I worked there for Sue and Ernie in the ’80’s. Great place to work. Glad it’s still going strong