Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket
Encyclopedia
Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket is a restaurant
in Willowbrook
, DuPage County, Illinois
. It is located along historical U.S. Route 66
, near present-day Interstate 55
.
. The chicken was an instant success, and by the 1940s, a new building was needed to serve patrons. Kolarik initially converted the station's automobile repair garages into dining rooms, but further demand prompted Kolarik to buy the adjacent property and build a full restaurant. Kolarik hired Eugene F. Stoyke to construct the one-story brick restaurant.
The present-day Chicken Shack was opened next door from the gas station in 1946 in what was then Hinsdale
, Illinois. Its proximity to Chicago
fostered its continued success, and it became a bus stop on the Blue Bird Coach Lines
. During winters, Kolarik would flood the roof of the restaurant and hire local youths to skate
on top of it. A lounge
wing was added in 1956, and was the building's last major alteration. The Interstate Highway System
in the 1950s forced roads such as Route 66 to reroute, and the restaurant was eventually bypassed in the 1960s.
and was the executive director of the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau
, purchased the building in 1963. Dell Rhea's son Patrick assumed control of the restaurant following Dell's death in 1992.
The building and its sign were added to the National Register of Historic Places
on May 5, 2006, along with fellow Illinois Route 66 restaurants Lou Mitchell's
and Ariston Cafe
. The restaurant was featured on a Route 66 edition of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives
.
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
in Willowbrook
Willowbrook, DuPage County, Illinois
Willowbrook is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. The population was 8,967 at the 2000 census.-History:Willowbrook grew from the Ridgemoor subdivision...
, DuPage County, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. It is located along historical U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66 was a highway within the U.S. Highway System. One of the original U.S. highways, Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926 -- with road signs erected the following year...
, near present-day Interstate 55
Interstate 55 in Illinois
In the U.S. state of Illinois, Interstate 55 is a major north–south Interstate Highway that connects the St. Louis, Missouri and Chicago metropolitan areas. It runs from the Poplar Street Bridge in East St. Louis to U.S. Route 41 near downtown Chicago...
.
History
In 1938, two women entered Irv Kolarik's gas station along Route 66 and shared their recipe for fried chickenFried chicken
Fried chicken is a dish consisting of chicken pieces usually from broiler chickens which have been floured or battered and then pan fried, deep fried, or pressure fried. The breading adds a crisp coating or crust to the exterior...
. The chicken was an instant success, and by the 1940s, a new building was needed to serve patrons. Kolarik initially converted the station's automobile repair garages into dining rooms, but further demand prompted Kolarik to buy the adjacent property and build a full restaurant. Kolarik hired Eugene F. Stoyke to construct the one-story brick restaurant.
The present-day Chicken Shack was opened next door from the gas station in 1946 in what was then Hinsdale
Hinsdale, Illinois
Hinsdale is a suburb of Chicago, Illinois; it is located partly in Cook County and mainly in DuPage County in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 17,349 at the 2000 census. The town's ZIP code is 60521. The town has a rolling, wooded topography, with a quaint downtown and is a 30-minute...
, Illinois. Its proximity to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
fostered its continued success, and it became a bus stop on the Blue Bird Coach Lines
Coach USA
Coach USA LLC is a holding company for various American transportation service providers providing scheduled intercity bus service, local and commuter bus transit, city sightseeing, tour, yellow school bus, and charter bus service...
. During winters, Kolarik would flood the roof of the restaurant and hire local youths to skate
Ice skating
Ice skating is moving on ice by using ice skates. It can be done for a variety of reasons, including leisure, traveling, and various sports. Ice skating occurs both on specially prepared indoor and outdoor tracks, as well as on naturally occurring bodies of frozen water, such as lakes and...
on top of it. A lounge
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
wing was added in 1956, and was the building's last major alteration. The Interstate Highway System
Interstate Highway System
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, , is a network of limited-access roads including freeways, highways, and expressways forming part of the National Highway System of the United States of America...
in the 1950s forced roads such as Route 66 to reroute, and the restaurant was eventually bypassed in the 1960s.
Change of ownership
Dell Rhea, a prominent Chicago businessman who operated the Stevens HotelHilton Chicago
The Hilton Chicago is a famous luxury hotel in Chicago, United States. The hotel is a Chicago landmark that overlooks Grant Park, Lake Michigan, and the Museum Campus. It is the third-largest hotel in Chicago by number of guest rooms; however, it has the largest total meeting and event space of any...
and was the executive director of the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau
Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau
The Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau, or CCTB, exists to promote Chicago to the global leisure travel and convention industries.The CCTB works in partnership with the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, the Chicago Office of Tourism, the City of Chicago, and the Illinois Department of...
, purchased the building in 1963. Dell Rhea's son Patrick assumed control of the restaurant following Dell's death in 1992.
The building and its sign were added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on May 5, 2006, along with fellow Illinois Route 66 restaurants Lou Mitchell's
Lou Mitchell's
Lou Mitchell's, also known as Lou Mitchell's Restaurant, is a Chicago diner located at 565 W. Jackson Boulevard. It is a popular restaurant for commuters, as it is located near Union Station. It is also located near the start of U.S...
and Ariston Cafe
Ariston Cafe
The Ariston Cafe is a historic restaurant located in Litchfield, Illinois, USA along Old U.S. Route 66. It was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 2006.-History:...
. The restaurant was featured on a Route 66 edition of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives
Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives
Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives is an American food television series that premiered in November 2006 on the Food Network. Produced by Page Productions, the program stars and is hosted by Guy Fieri...
.