Edzo’s has been an Evanston staple for years, bringing people of all ages together to enjoy a classic American meal. From their iconic fries, burgers and shakes to their convenient pricing and philanthropic hiring policies, it is safe to say all Evanstonians have some memory of the restaurant. 

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Edzo’s was one of the many businesses affected. Fewer people were dining out, and, coupled with their historically slow winters, owner Eddie Lakin was forced to make the decision to temporarily close the establishment. 

The closing of businesses in the past two years has haunted the Evanston community, with classic establishments such as Barnes & Noble, Panera and Naf Naf Grill having been permanently shut down. 

“I’ve lived here pretty much my whole life, so it’s really strange to see all these places from my childhood disappearing,” says sophomore Claire Ross. “Evanston has been changing so much recently.”

With the downfall of chain restaurants in Evanston, students have been finding it difficult to find affordable places to go with on their limited budgets. 

“One of the cool things about Evanston is all the small, local businesses, but when I want to go somewhere with my friends, it’s not like we all have the money to go to them every time,” Ross says.  

Though the jarring closed sign on the front door may be giving many Evanston residents flashbacks to the many well missed chains, Edzo’s plans on coming back bigger and better in late April or early May. 

In an interview with Evanston Now, Lakin shared his plans for the restaurant, “[we’re] deep cleaning, adding a liquor license, setting things up to make sense in a post-Covid world.”

Though the times have given Evanstonians a reason to worry, Edzo’s will return, and they don’t plan on going anywhere soon.