CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — A boil order issued for parts of Chicago’s Beverly, Morgan Park and Auburn Gresham neighborhoods didn’t stop one popular diner from keeping its doors open.
For staff at Lumes Pancake House, located on Western Avenue and 116th Street, the boil order — issued Tuesday night following a leak at the Roseland Pumping Station — was a first.
“I was thinking, you know what, I've been here 18 years, and I've never heard of this going down,” said Manager Beverly Hubick. “We've never had it."
Hubick said she found out about the boil order on Wednesday morning from her daughter. She immediately called the restaurant's owner, Jim Klapsis, who told her to “go ahead and open.”
After that, it was business as usual, with a few adjustments to service.
“We have to tell the customers we can only use bottled water and no ice,” Hubick said. “And we let the cooks know right away.”
Customers inside told WBBM they weren’t worried. Rather, they were just glad their favorite spot was open.
One said they trusted the owner 100%.
“He takes care of the place,” they said. “Anything that goes wrong, he's in there trying to fix it and make sure it's right.”
Lumes was set to stay open for the rest of the day.
As of 6:45 p.m. Wednesday, the boil order was still in place.
Chicago’s Department of Water Management workers were handing out bottled water to residents at Ridge Park, located at 9625 S. Longwood for anyone impacted by the boil order.
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