Businesses That Braved the Blizzard

A historic storm leaving 20 inches of snow in its wake will justifiably lead to many businesses, schools and services to shut down.

But a few restaurants in Orland Park braved the continuing storm Wednesday, even though snow was zipping horizontally on 60 mph winds, to open their doors to customers.

Here are a few that were open. If you know of others that were able to open up the day after the storm, please add them in the comments.

Fox’s Orland Park Restaurant and Pub

Where there’s an upbringing there’s a way. Frank Fox, owner of , said he opened his restaurant Wednesday because “it was the way I was brought up.” No amount of snow could impede the unmistakable work ethic he inherited from his parents, the memory of which he likened to a “hammer on my head everyday.”

To ensure a full day of business, Fox said he and his staff carpooled, picking up those servers who couldn’t get their own cars free. By the end of the night, the restaurant had sold 300 pizzas, much more than usual, despite heating problems, which kept the ovens from holding their highest temperatures, he said.

Buca di Beppo 

Manager Patrick Houle said the traffic inside Wednesday rivaled that outside his window, along 94th Avenue. In other words, business was slow, “but we did the best we could,” he noted.

Papa Joe’s Restaurant

Often the case in morale-crushing weather, sold more pizzas than normal. The dining room remained closed, but carry out kept kitchen staff busy from 3 p.m. until 9 p.m., said manager Ken Holdefer.

Orland Park Buffet

When Haytham Jaber came to check on the condition of Wednesday morning he found an abandoned plow stuck halfway in snow. It took the private company Jaber hires to clean his parking lot more than 24 hours to tow the first truck and then finish the job with a second truck, he said Thursday with an amused reserve.

, Cooper's Hawk Winery, , and were not open on Wednesday.

Orland Park Patch Editor Ben Feldheim contributed to this report.