Giovan's Made Transition To Carryout Before Coronavirus

JOLIET, IL — Dozens of Will County restaurants are scrambling this week trying to stay profitable because of the spread of the new coronavirus, turning their dining establishments into curbside pickups. There is one Joliet restaurant that could get everyone pointers on the topic: Giovan's Jr. Pasta & Pizzeria.

As many know, Giovan's was a long-time Italian restaurant and banquet hall in Crest Hill. Then, Giovan's did a shocker. Giovan's left Crest Hill and set up shop on Route 59. Giovan's reinvented itself as a carryout-only pasta and pizzeria.

Talk about a drastic move, Giovan's left behind a 13,000-square-foot building. Its new building near Caton Farm Road and Route 59 has only 1,600 square feet of space. Giovan's is best known for its homemade raviolis, lasagna, pastas and pizzas.

Although Giovan's has a Plainfield mailing address, it's actually in the city of Joliet. It's in the same shopping plaza as Tony's Fresh Market. March 30 marks Giovan's one-year anniversary as a carryout-only restaurant serving Joliet, Plainfield, Shorewood and Crest Hill.

"We like what we do, and we've got a really big following," remarked Giovan Cullotta, who runs the restaurant with his mother, Vicki Schultz.

"It's the same food, so it carries really well," he added.

The restaurant's namesake said he truly feels bad for so many of the Joliet area restaurants - and bars - who are adversely affected by the governor's order that all indoor dining facilities and taverns remain off-limits to the public through the end of the month amid concerns of spreading the coronavirus.

Just two doors down from Giovan's is the Lucky Bamboo Asian Cuisine. This week, the lights are turned off at Lucky Bamboo. A sign posted on the front door informs people "Lucky Bamboo will be closed until March 31. Be safe and take care of one another during this difficult times."

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Giovan's owner told Patch the owners of Lucky Bamboo are terrific people, and he feels so bad they've been forced to shutter their dine-in restaurant for the time being.

Giovan Cullotta told Patch that many people incorrectly assume that anybody who owns a restaurant is making money like crazy. "There's such a thin margin for profit," he said. "There's hidden costs, rent, gas and electricity."

Giovan's handles its own carryout deliveries, and it also works with several third-party delivery services: Uber Eats, DoorDash, Postmates and Grubhub.

Patch asked Giovan's owner how business has fared since the coronavirus hit Illinois. "Third-party deliveries have doubled since this happened," Cullotta told Patch Thursday afternoon.

He and his mother have no regrets about their decision to close their Crest Hill sit-down restaurant and reinvent their business model, especially given Gov. JB Pritzker's mandate that restaurants close their doors to sit-down customers.

"They've had to adjust whereas we've already made the adjustment," he said.

Carryout "has been better for us. A few of our regular customers were disappointed, but probably 95 percent have been very supportive of carryout."

In 2019, Giovan's was named Plainfield's best pizza by the Plainfield Chamber of Commerce, he said proudly.

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Giovan's is also offering "free deliveries and discounts to all medical facilities" in the Joliet area. He said his business already has had a long-standing practice of offering discounts to police and fire crews.

Why the special discounts for medical professionals?

"Because they're working double shifts, and now they can't go out to restaurants," he said.

During the current coronavirus crisis, Giovan's also offers free deliveries to some of the larger retirement communities near Joliet.

Giovan's owner told Patch he hopes Will County residents will support all small family-owned local restaurants and bars during these difficult economic times amid the coronavirus concerns.

He said, for instance, the notion of closing a small mom-and-pop sit-down restaurant for a full month would devastate many places, if that happens.

"That would put us out of business," he remarked. "You're going to lose a lot of restaurants, absolutely. I feel bad for the industry, the bartenders and waitresses."

On a positive note, Giovan's won't run out of pizzas, lasagnas and pastas even if it sees a huge spike in business from people in the Joliet and Plainfield area in the mood for Italian takeout.

"Our distributors have guaranteed us that," he said.

His advice to area families who are impacted by the coronavirus? Stay home this weekend, watch a movie on Netflix and enjoy carryout as a family meal. Giovan's delivers within a 7-mile radius of its Route 59 restaurant. It charges a $3 delivery fee. Customers can pay with cash or credit card. All deliveries must be at least $20.

Giovan's has a website for people to peruse their menu, but you have to place your order over the phone. He and his mother are old-school. They still want to have that personal contact with customers over the phone to make sure the order and the time of pickup is done right.

"All orders are by phone," he said.

Giovan's opens 3 to 9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday. It's closed on Monday.

Traditionally, the restaurant also does a lot of large catering events.

The phone number for Giovan's is 815-725-6000. Catering orders can be placed at all hours of the day and night, its owners said.

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More Joliet Patch restaurant/bar coverage this week:

• Milano Bakery:'Everybody Needs To Be Calm'
• Coronavirus Won't Stop Joliet's 2 Microbreweries
• Hey! Hot Dog Becomes Carhop
• Hamburgerseria Goes Delivery Route