Portillo's Draws Inflatable Rat To Joliet Construction Site

JOLIET, IL — Over the past two days, several thousand Larkin Avenue motorists have passed a giant inflatable rat placed in front of the construction site at the recently demolished IHOP restaurant.

Members of Laborers Local #75 are responsible for putting the inflatable rat here at the future Portillo's Pickup restaurant, 1444 North Larkin Ave.

Local 75 said it is protesting the use of non-union construction labor at the Portillo's restaurant development, specifically the use of Scapin Construction located in Inverness as well as Henson Concrete Construction, which is located in St. Charles.

Patch has reached out to media representatives with Portillo's for their reaction to the Laborers Local #75 protest at the Joliet construction site.

One member of Local 75 told Joliet Patch it was his understanding that the development company that owns the property at Joliet's North Ridge Plaza, not Portillo's, was responsible for hiring the non-union contractors.

The Will County Assesssor's Office lists North Windham Properties LLC, in Seabrook, New Hampshire, as the owners of 1444 North Larkin Ave.

According to its website, Scapin Construction is based in Inverness. The company promotes itself as being an "experienced sewer and water company specializing in new construction."

"We are currently accepting bid invitations for commercial, residential, and industrial projects that require underground site utilities," Scapin Construction's website announced.

Henson Concrete Construction was founded in 2006 and "specializes in the commercial and residential concrete needs of Northern Illinois," according to its website.

On June 21, Joliet Patch broke the news that Joliet was chosen to be the first location of a Portillo's Pickup restaurant. The future 3,750-square-foot restaurant will not have an indoor dining room. Instead, it will feature three drive-thru lanes and an area for pick-up orders.