Tastee Bites Reopens 1 Week After 'Big Loud Bang'

JOLIET, IL — One week after a 54-year-old woman from Darien crashed her minivan inside the Tastee Bites restaurant, Joliet owner Raul Martinez is back in business. He reopened Wednesday afternoon at 2953 West Jefferson St.

"It was pretty tragic what happened," Martinez remarked during Wednesday's interview. "I was in the back and it was a big loud bang."

On the bright side, "we're here again."

Tastee Bites is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and closed Sundays.

One of his customers walked in late Wednesday afternoon, asking, "what happened?"

"We tried to make a drive-thru," Martinez chuckled.

For now, Martinez has been able to install a temporary storefront.

"Hopefully, the insurance comes through," he said.

Martinez was in the kitchen preparing a meal when the minivan crashed into his restaurant around 7 p.m. Nov. 10. He said two delivery drivers were inside when the crash occurred, and one of them was struck by the gumball machine.

"He came back this morning and said, 'I'm back," Martinez said.

Joliet Patch asked if Martinez ever imagined something like this would happen at Tastee Bites.

"Well, you see it on TV, you figure it's never going to happen to me," Martinez said.