Elgin's Nick Smith Plans to Transform Closed IHOP Into New Restaurant
Elgin restaurant owner Nick Smith purchased the closed IHOP on Randall Road and plans to convert it into a new dining concept. Smith previously transformed a shuttered Lone Star Steakhouse into Old Republic Kitchen + Bar.
A second chance for a Randall Road strip mall
Nick Smith just closed on a property that used to be an IHOP on Randall Road in Elgin. The former IHOP is about to become something entirely new. Smith owns and operates Old Republic Kitchen + Bar in Elgin with his parents, Jeff and Susanne Smith. The restaurant is part of the Karas Restaurant Group, which has operated in the Fox Valley since 1974.
"We just closed on the property last week and then started working on it," Smith said.
Smith declined to reveal the concept or cuisine for the new restaurant. He said the new location will share synergy with Old Republic while offering something different from what the area currently has.
Déjà vu for a restaurant family
The project feels familiar for Smith. Old Republic Kitchen + Bar opened eight years ago inside a shuttered Lone Star Steakhouse in the same strip mall. It took about eight months to convert that former Lone Star into the pub-style restaurant it is today.
"Buying the IHOP is serendipity. It's déjà vu," Smith said. "It's actually a year older than the Lone Star was, which was 20 years old when we bought it. We're looking forward to taking an old restaurant again, making it new and transforming it. It has good bones."
The IHOP closed last June. Smith said he was one of the first potential buyers to inspect the building after the closure. Negotiations followed and the deal was finalized last week.
Lessons from the pandemic
Smith said the family's experience running Old Republic through the COVID-19 pandemic prepared them for this expansion. When the lockdown began in March 2020, Old Republic adapted by screening Smith's 2011 horror film "Munger Road" in its parking lot. The restaurant also offered free car washes to customers picking up food.
When restrictions eased, Old Republic built what Smith called "the Taj Mahal of tents" over a parking lot island. A stage was installed inside the tented area.
The restaurant now features indoor seating for 200 guests and outdoor seating for 700. Smith said the location draws 5,000 to 6,000 guests per week.
"We've developed a great customer base," Smith said.
No rush to open
Smith said he is not rushing the conversion. He wants the project done right rather than fast.
"You won't be able to tell it was an IHOP," Smith said. "We're fortunate in that we can afford to take our time. We want to get it right."
Smith's connection to Elgin goes back to "Munger Road," a low-budget horror movie he wrote, directed, and produced. The film is set in the Fox Valley and was what brought Smith back from California to the area.
The Karas Restaurant Group is overseen by Smith's uncle, Bob Karas. The family business has been a fixture in the Fox Valley for more than five decades.