Pizzeria DeVille Closes After 9 Years In Libertyville

LIBERTYVILLE, IL — A longtime downtown pizzeria has closed.

On Tuesday, Pizzeria DeVille, located at 404 N. Milwaukee Ave, shut its doors for good after nine years in Libertyville.

"For 9+ years we’ve had the honor and privilege of serving the local Libertyville Community and the communities that surround us. During this time we have made countless new friends and acquaintances, supported important local nonprofits that keep an eye on those most at risk in our community and we even scored a big victory in 2018 with the Main Street Libertyville Business of the Year award," John Durning, proprietor of the popular Pizzeria DeVille, wrote in a Facebook post Tuesday.

Durning said that while his business was able to get through the pandemic thanks to "community support," it has not been the same since. The cost for staffing and supplies has made it too difficult to remain open, he added.

"While these issues impacted everyone in every business, their impact on small local restaurants has been huge and can be felt to this day," he wrote in a Facebook post announcing the closing Tuesday. "I sought supplemental employment in order to take the burden of my financial needs off the restaurant, but in hindsight, this impacted the restaurant in many ways.

"Despite our staffs hard work and dedication, the lack of an effective leader on-site at all times impacted the flavor of the experience. The food has remained excellent as these are the same people who have been making it for years. However, the restaurant continued to suffer with slow sales," he wrote.

In the Tuesday post, he said his "little dream pizzeria has run its course," and referred to his decision to close as heart breaking.

"While many things led to this day, the reality is that, try as we did, I just couldn't pull us out of this swoon, and we are out of time and resources," Durning wrote.

More via Pizzeria DeVille's Facebook page