Small family-owned bistro Red Poppy Bistro is looking to relocate to a different city after struggling with city officials in Elgin at 109 E Highland Ave.
The exact city of the relocation is still to be determined, but owners Matthew Habib and Jennifer Polit have already closed the doors to the company’s original location. The husband/wife duo opened the restaurant in March 2020 after a successful food truck called Legit Dogs and Ice. Red Poppy Bistro recently posted on its Facebook page saying the Elgin city government has made it impossible for them to succeed, citing the constantly changing policies and ordinances.
“This did not just happen one day,” Habib tells Block Club Chicago. “We didn’t just start having problems with Elgin at the Red Poppy. We have had problems with Elgin from day one with the food truck. The best way to sum up the issues I’m having with code enforcement is that they OK something, and then suddenly it’s not OK. They come back on something they’ve approved or allowed and say it’s not OK. It makes it impossible to have … any type of rhythm or pattern that you can count on because they are constantly coming back and disrupting things they’ve already approved.”
The Facebook post has gained the attention of many people, gathering more than 400 comments. While some agree with the business owners, who are still struggling to return to normalcy from the pandemic, some disagree. Since the post was released, several city officials have said they have supported their businesses, especially small-business owners. At one point, the city willingly paid $6,000 for acoustical testing that would allow Legit Dogs and Ice to hold concerts in the basement of its then Dream Hall location.
“The city has tried to help this business owner time and time again to be successful,” city council member Tish Powell tells the publication. “We want all small-business owners to be successful, and we work hard to try and make that possible. And in this particular case, we’ve worked very diligently with him to try to help him resolve issues and to make sure that he is successful.”
As of now, the Red Poppy Bistro owners are on the hunt for the perfect city to reopen the restaurant. They hope to soon bring the same home-cooked meals with a European flare to a nearby town. The restaurant is expected to still serve plenty of breakfast classics and various quiches, crepes, pierogis, pot pies, and other delicious treats. Hopefully, the new location will be revealed sooner than later.
“We are trying to find the right location,” Habib said. “And we’re going to make sure that we have the resources and a very clear definition of what they expect from us. So that way, we can meet the requirements of that city.”
Sad they’re closed. Delish everything from scratch. Good luck reopening SOMEwhere!