Popular Fairview Heights restaurant outgrows its space, plans major expansion

As the saying goes, the more the merrier. I feel this is especially true when there’s food involved.

And there may soon be more room for even more merriment if plans to expand Joe’s Pizza & Pasta in Fairview Heights are approved by the city.

Owner Abby Thompson, who owns the business with her husband Dustin Thompson, applied for a special use permit to expand the popular eatery into the adjoining space that previously housed an H&R Block.

In the application, Abby Thompson included a description of the plans to add an additional 3,080 square feet to the existing restaurant.

The description includes the addition of a double-door entrance opening to a greeting area, and tables and booths to accommodate more customers dining in.

A side bar and a separate party room for up to 40 people will be added. There will also be a small area for small arcade machines, claw or candy machines and a golf simulator.

Additional restrooms will also be included.

In the back area of the addition, the plan sets aside space for a “separate, non advertised, closed off, and state and city compliant gambling machine area,” which may or may not be used for that purpose.

Thompson wrote that she and her husband were always against the inclusion of gaming machines in their family restaurant but acknowledged “how scary it is to be expanding our space financially in the uncertain world we live in, so we are saving a space for the gaming area as a backup plan.”

More space at the back of the addition will allow for more storage and help with the dish area.

Since the plans still need city council approval, a timeline for the expansion is not yet known.

The Fairview Heights Planning Commission voted Aug. 13 to send the application to the Community Committee for further review and approval at its Aug. 21 meeting. If the committee approves the application, it will go before the city council at a later date.

Thompson was not immediately available for comment about the expansion; however, I’ll provide updates as more info becomes available.

Joe's Pizza & Pasta FH Floor Plan by Jennifer Green on Scribd

About Joe’s Pizza & Pasta

Joe’s Pizza & Pasta, located at 4628 N. Illinois St. in Fairview Heights, first opened in September 2008 as Jonny’s Pizza under the ownership of Jon Weaving and Manny Trupiano.

Jonny’s Pizza was part of the Joe’s Pizza & Pasta chain but was named after Weaving with the company’s permission, according to an August 2017 BND report.

Joe’s Pizza & Pasta is based in Effingham and was founded by the Trupiano family.

The Thompsons bought the business from Weaving in 2017, renaming it Joe’s Pizza & Pasta.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.Sunday-Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday.

For more info or to place an order, call 618-416-4464. Get updates on the restaurant’s Facebook page .

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