No, Sarkis is not closing — but changes may be coming

(Editor’s Note: Bob Chiarito reported this story for Evanston RoundTable, a neighboring independent newsroom. It was shared with The Record as part of an ongoing collaborative effort.)

Sarkis will continue to operate and has no plans to close despite its building being for sale, the owner told the Evanston RoundTable on Friday, May 8.

Sarkis, longstanding a North Shore institution, was founded in 1965 by Sarkis Tashjian. The property at 2628–2632 Gross Point Road, which includes Sarkis Cafe, was listed for sale by At Properties on Wednesday for $2.95 million.

The listing, however, notes that “the restaurant operation and [furniture, fixtures and equipment] are not included in the sale.”

The restaurant was purchased by Jeff Cramin in 2000, joining Tashjian as a partner after some city code violations. Jeff Cramin died in 2002, and his wife, Marla Cramin, has run Sarkis since. Tashjian died in 2018 at the age of 86.

Cramin said on Friday that although she listed the property for sale, the restaurant is and will continue; though a property sale may bring changes, including a new location, she said.

“Sarkis remains open for business and continues to operate just as it has for more than 65 years,” Cramin said in a text message. “There are no plans for closure.”

After the listing came out, news quickly spread through media outlets and social media. Cramin took to Facebook on Saturday, May 9, to respond, calling some of the reports inaccurate.

“There are no plans for closure,” she wrote in part. “While the restaurant may transition or possibly even ben in a new location, my hope is that Sarkis Cafe — along with its longstanding employees — will continue serving Lorettas and Disasters (two notable menu items) for many years to come.”

Sarkis is no more than a half-mile from Wilmette and easily accessible just south of where Ridge Road turns into Gross Point Road. The diner has been a hot spot for New Trier High School students and plenty others for decades.

The property listing describes the .29-acre property as an “absolute once in two lifetimes opportunity.”

It also mentions that the City of Evanston has tagged the property for potential redevelopment.

“This is an Outstanding investment or Development opportunity, The City of Evanston has hinted at a two story structure with retail on the lower floor and residential or office on the second floor,” according to the listing.

The property is in Evanston’s B1a zoning district, which allows retail, above-ground office and above-ground residential development without requiring special approval.

In March, Sarkis closed for one day at the same time that stickers from the Illinois Department of Revenue — saying that the “certificate of registration has expired” — were seen on windows facing the parking lot. At the time, Cramin told the RoundTable the closure was a “nonissue” caused by a “simple misunderstanding.” The restaurant reopened the following day.

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