Restaurant reopens in Peoria after being closed for half the year

The Peoria Le Peep, located at 7501 N. University St., reopened Wednesday after being closed for over six months.

The restaurant is now open from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. Monday through Sunday.

When the business closed earlier this year, a sign on the door stated "Le Peep will be CLOSED Indefinitely." Le Peep CEO Kevin Wessel said the location's original owner − Dan Schlink − made the decision to sell the business, which he had operated for nearly 20 years.

"It was due to COVID," Wessel said, "and the old owner had gotten sick and he was ready to retire."

In September, a voicemail greeting on the business's phone number announced the planned reopening.

Rilind Balazi and his wife, Laya Elezi, are the new co-owners of the restaurant. Balazi's brother owns the Le Peep location in Springfield, Wessel said, which is where Balazi trained. Balazi said previously that he also worked at Star 66 Cafe in Springfield.

Still, Wessel said the Peoria Le Peep's re-opening was designed to be "very soft."

"(Balazi is) new to Le Peep and we want to just build business slowly instead of doing everything so fast, and we make more mistakes that way," Wessel said. "So, it's about training, doing it right and doing the things that we need necessary for us to be successful."

More:Check out these 22 new or reopened restaurants in the Peoria area in 2022

Wessel said the restaurant served around 50 people on its first day open. He said that was around half the turnout the restaurant normally sees on a weekday. On an average weekend, he said the restaurant could serve 300 to 400 guests.

Currently, the restaurant is focusing on its regular breakfast and lunch menu. Wessel said Le Peep offers seasonal menus, as well, but said the main goal is to get everyone comfortable with the day-to-day menu first. Pumpkin pancakes and lattes are available.

Wessel said the location brought in some staff from the Springfield restaurant to help with training. Staff from Colorado also came to help out, but Wessel said, overall, the Peoria Le Peep has been "very lucky" when it comes to staffing.

"Dan was able to contact his old employees and a lot of them were able to come back," Wessel said.

The restaurant, which serves breakfast and lunch, operated in Peoria for roughly 18 years prior to its shutdown. Le Peep is part of a chain that can be found in 17 states across the U.S. At every location, Wessel said, the goal is to offer freshly made meals to its guests.

More:The Peoria-area said goodbye to these 14 restaurants this year

Looking back at the Peoria Le Peep's history, Wessel said he is excited to see where the next 20 years take the restaurant.

"We're just wanting customers to know that we are open," He said. "It's the same place, just a new owner, with great food, great service and a friendly atmosphere."

Connect with Cassidy Waigand by emailing her at CWaigand@gannett.com or by following her on Twitter at @justxaxwriter.