Tom & Jerry’s, the local fast-dining chain restaurant specializing in gyros and Italian beef sandwiches, is opening a new location in Loves Park at 7170 E. Riverside Blvd.
The company’s fourth location will sit between Dairy Queen and Chipotle, according to Rock River Current. Owner Bob Grottke recently broke ground on the site and is preparing for a December opening. This is just the beginning for Grottke, who is working on another undisclosed location right now and hopes to open three to five more in the next two years, depending on how the economy goes. When these new locations open, customers can expect a full-serve restaurant at fast-food prices.
Tom & Jerry’s can currently be found in Belvidere, Machesney Park, and Rockford. The newest location will sit in a perfect area at the center of a growing epicenter that features the Mercyhealth Sportscore Two complex, Costco, Javon Bea Mercyhealth Hospital-Riverside, and multiple hotels. On top of that, the company’s fourth location will be right off I-90, meaning thousands will see the spot daily. Grottke plans to hire an additional 40 employees for this location.
“As I look down the street, there’s a Costco. They’re building in an area where there’s families,” Grottke tells Red River Current. “We like the fact that Costco’s there. That tells us a lot — that Costco did their research. That families are there. As much as we want to be home to the customer for food, we want to be home to our employees. Our employees are our family. That’s how we get staff, that’s how we keep staff, and that’s why our people stay with us.”
