Business Profile: Grady's Grille

Grady's is fairly new, why did you choose Homewood as the place to open up your restaurant?

Well, I grew up in East Hazel Crest and my husband grew up in Homewood, so we have been here our whole lives. We know the community and we know what the needs were since we live in Homewood. When the owners from the previous restaurant, Bamboo Blue, presented us with this opportunity, it was a no-brainer.

The community was thrilled you were able to bounce back so quickly after , what was that like?

We knew it was important , not only because of our responsibility to this community, but we also had a responsibility to our employees. It was all hands on deck as we worked throughout the night to clean and make phone calls. We couldn't have done it without our friends, family and of course our wonderful staff. In the end, our vendors all came together and we were able to re-open the following afternoon.

What inspired you to get into the restaurant industry?

My husband's family has always been in the restaurant business, but after my fourth child was born, we had the opportunity to open something three blocks from our house. At the time I was commuting almost every day to and from Schaumburg. It was comforting to know that I would not be far from my children with this new endeavor. I had seen my husband work in the restaurant industry since I met him and I saw how demanding it was. However, I knew that my family (including my brothers, sisters, cousins, mother, father and aunts) were going to be there to help me and it was an exciting new challenge to take. I love a challenge! Plus, I had a great teacher: my husband.

What are some of your best selling dishes and what is your personal favorite?

Our best selling dishes include the Grady Burger, the buffalo shrimp, all of our flatbreads, prime rib panini and the filet medallions. My personal favorite is the prime rib panini. It's outstanding!  We used to just have it on Saturday's as a special, but recently added it to the menu due to the high demand.

Do you change up the menu seasonally?

Since we are still relatively new, we would like to change the menu four times a year. We have not done that yet. We are still trying new things and I think we have changed the menu three times so far since we opened in May of 2010.

Where do you like to eat and shop locally?

My daughters love . They love the jewelry and the ceramics. We are also regulars at .

What advice would you give others wanting to start a business in the H-F area?

The Homewood and Flossmoor communities are wonderful places to live with wonderfully supportive people and great families. The people in these communities want to see local businesses succeed. The most important thing to remember when opening any business is to take care of your customers. If you do this, they will take care of you. Also, don't forget to give back to the communities that are supporting you.

Any upcoming events?

We are looking to have a wine tasting event coming soon — so watch for more information.