Small Business Saturday
The Story Behind Skokie's Iconic Jack's Restaurant
Jack's Restaurant was the place to be after hours for almost a half-century. While the hours have scaled back, the Skokie restaurant known for its comfort food is still a popular destination to many.
For many Skokians, Jack’s Restaurant was the after hours place to be seen. While it’s scaled back its hours, the business still holds a Cheers like atmosphere. The venerable eatery at 5201 Touhy Ave. has been welcoming customers for generations. With its comfort food menu, Jack’s provides a sense of community, which likely explains its longevity, said owner George Koretos. Jack’s, which was originally known as Jake’s, opened sometime during the Eisenhower administration in the late 1950s. The restaurant was renamed Jack’s in 1965 when not so coincidentally it was taken over by Jack Koretos and his business partner Jerry Rubin. Jack’s son, George, now 49, has been running the day-to-day operation since 2000, a job he has been preparing for …
