Gipps Brewing Company, Peoria, Illinois. (1881-1954)

Peoria has long since attained a leadership position in brewing and distilling interests, and its output along those lines exceeds any other city of equal size in the country. At the head of its enterprise are men of marked business ability, keen discernment and unfaltering energy — men who recognize the possibilities of trade and utilize each opportunity for its full worth. 

George H. Gipps is a representative of this class, and his position in the business circles of the city is that of general agent for the Terre Haute Brewing Company. He has been identified with the brewing trade since he completed his education. He was born near Morton, Tazewell county, Illinois, on August 3, 1863, on the farm belonging to his father, John Mathuen Gipps. John came from England to the New World in 1845 and traveled to the country's interior, settling upon a tract of land near Morton, Illinois. He successfully engaged in farming there for several years, watching his expenditures carefully. When he had sufficient capital, he embarked on the brewing business in Peoria, engaging in that line of trade in about 1864.

Toth Buffet Serves Gripps Beer.

George was associated with Mr. Howe in the establishment and management of a little ale brewery, which was afterward moved to the foot of Bridge street, where the large plant of the Gipps Brewing Company stood. Gradually he developed a business of extensive proportions. As his trade increased, he enlarged his facilities and, in time, drew his patronage from a vast territory. He was president of the Gipps Brewing Company at the time of his death, November 27, 1881, at sixty-three. His wife, Ellen Dawson, was also a native of England, and they were married in New York City in 1852. They had two children, the elder being Mrs. Bessie Smith, the wife of C.B. Smith of Peoria. The mother passed away in this city in 1898.

George H. Gipps was but six years of age when the family left the farm and took up residency in Peoria so that his education was acquired in the schools of this city, which he attended until he left high school to become an active factor in business life. 

George was offered the opportunity to enter the establishment of the Gipps Brewing Company, and he did so, thoroughly acquainting himself with every part of the trade. He remained there until 1885 when he became associated with the Union Brewing Company, of which he was secretary for 15 years. He then withdrew from that connection to accept the agency and position of manager with the Terre Haute Brewing Company in 1900. He has been connected with this corporation as its general agent, having supervised extending its trade relations. The position is an enormous responsibility and involves the most critical considerations and duties, for which Mr. Gipps's long experience has prepared him well.

In 1888 was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Gipps and Miss Jennie V. Tripp, a daughter of R.H. Tripp. They had two children, Charles M. and Della T. 

Mr. Gipps has advanced to a high position as a Mason. He had served as high priest of Peoria Chapter for three years, as a Knight Templar Mason and was a member of the Mystic Shrine. He also belonged to the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. He had various other social relations, including a member of the South Side Turners, the Concordia Singing Society and the Creve Coeur Club. His social qualities have made him famous, while his business ability has gained prominence.

The Garden Theatre opened in 1913 at 2139 SW Adams St., Peoria, and closed in 1942.

From 1837 until the 1980s, Peoria played a significant role in beer production.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

Hamburger University, from the World Renowned, McDonald's Corporation, Chicago, Illinois.

The McDonald's chain was famously born when an ambitious milkshake mixer salesman named Ray Kroc partnered with and eventually bought out Maurice and Richard McDonald, two brothers with a small but popular chain of hamburger restaurants. Kroc opened his first new location in Des Plaines, Illinois 1955, naming it McDonald's.

The McDonald's № 1 Store Museum (1955-2017) in Des Plaines, Illinois, was a replica of the first McDonald's restaurant in Des Plaines, opened by Ray Kroc in April 1955. The company usually refers to this as The Original McDonald's, although it is not the first McDonald's restaurant but the ninth; the first was opened by Richard and Maurice McDonald in San Bernardino, California, in 1940, while the oldest McDonald's still in operation is the third one built, in Downey, California, which opened in 1953. However, the Des Plaines restaurant marked the beginning of future CEO Kroc's involvement with the firm. It opened under the aegis of his franchising company McDonald's Systems, Inc., which became McDonald's Corporation after Kroc purchased the McDonald brothers' stake.

The third McDonald's restaurant opened on August 18, 1953, at 10207 Lakewood Boulevard, Downey, California. It was also the second restaurant franchised by Richard and Maurice McDonald before the involvement of Ray Kroc in the company. The original building is a museum, while the red roof in the background is a modern McDonald's serving food and kid's toys.

Hamburger University started in 1961 with a class of 15 people and was held in the basement of a McDonald's restaurant in Elk Grove Village, Illinois. Fred L. Turner, a grill cook, developed and operated the educational program. Soon, Turner's McDonlad's corporate education and training programs became the pioneering concept for other businesses. 

Fred Turner became McDonald's CEO in 1973 and replaced Kroc as Chairman in 1977, later named Senior Chairman upon Kroc's death. Under Turner, McDonald's expanded its operations to 118 countries, with over 31,000 outlets and over a billion hamburgers sold. Fred retired in 2004, serving as Honorary Chairman until he died in 2013.

sidebar

Those who attended Hamburger University in its earliest days received hands-on instruction from Fred Turner and Ray Kroc.

Hamburger University was designed exclusively to instruct personnel employed by McDonald's Corporation or by McDonald's Independent Franchisees in the various aspects of the business and operations of McDonald's.

sidebar

The first "Corporate College" was created by General Electric (GE) as a place for Nationwide management employees to learn in conjunction with the company's business plans and development goals. GE Crotonville, Ossining, New York, started in the mid-1950s. Today, it's called the GE Management Development Institute.

This makes Hamburger University one of the first corporate education programs of its kind. McDonald's retains more rising stars by developing talent and leadership at Hamburger University.

McDonald's Global Headquarters was located on an 80-acre campus in Oak Brook, Illinois, from its founding until 2018, when the McDonald's headquarters moved to Chicago's West Loop into a new complex built on the former site of Oprah Winfrey's Harpo Studios.

Managers in McDonald's restaurants graduated from Hamburger University, eventually moving to a 130,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility on the McDonald's Home Office Campus in Oak Brook, Illinois.

sidebar

2022 - TOP 5 CORPORATE UNIVERSITIES

       1) Google; Googleplex

       2) McDonald's Hamburger University

       3) Apple University

       4) Disney University

       5) Intel Network Builders University

Students at McDonald's Hamburger University, for example, at the restaurant ownership level, learn to successfully run a restaurant and report and analyze the books. Further education is necessary to become an executive to support the franchises and help them develop business skills and focus on leadership skills. With a degree, the graduate is confident and ready to support McDonald's employees, restaurant owners, and sales growth.

Hamburger University is a fundamental degree-granting institution, so much so that credits earned can be applied toward an associate's or bachelor's degree at other colleges and universities.

McDonald's Home Office Campus and Hamburger University moved to 1045 West Randolph Street, Chicago, and opened in its new home in June 2018. 

1045 West Randolph Street, Chicago, Illinois.

McDonald's office space, including Hamburger University, occupies 490,000 square feet of the building.

They have grown from the old main campus in Oak Brook, Illinois, to the addition of seven satellite campuses worldwide at one time: Tokyo, London, Sydney, Munich, São Paulo, Shanghai, and Moscow. A faculty of 30 resident professors teach and communicate in 22 languages with the help of translators and technology. 

sidebar

McDonald's has reopened its doors under a new name in Russia after the fast food giant pulled out of the country over its invasion of Ukraine. Fifteen McDonald's restaurants in and around Moscow reopened with their new name, "Vkusno & Tochka," which translates as "Tasty and that's it." Businessman Alexander Govor, who already owns 25 restaurants in Siberia, agreed to buy all 847 Russian McDonald's outlets after the chain boycotted the country in early March. He vowed to keep all their 62,000 employees on equivalent terms for at least two years.

To date, Hamburger University has produced around 330,000 degree holders worldwide.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

The Ravenswood Outpost, across from Rosehill Cemetery on Ravenswood Avenue, Chicago.

Long before the Chicago & Northwestern tracks were laid in the middle of Ravenwood Avenue and before Edgewater existed as a neighborhood in the Lincoln Square Community, and even before Pop Morse's Roadhouse in 1909 and was renamed Green Mill Gardens in 1910, the roadhouse now known as the Fireside Restaurant & Lounge has stood across from historic Rosehill Cemetery for more than a century. 

Interestingly, this was the second station built at Rosehill. The tracks that are elevated today were not always that way, and an earlier street-level station stopped at the cemetery before the track elevation took place.

The original tavern once served traveling farmers and mourners alike, even offering accommodations. Fireside is located on the east side of Ravenswood Avenue just south of Rosehill Cemetery's entrance on Rosehill Drive. 

According to the Edgewater Historical Society, the Fireside has continuously operated as a tavern since 1904 and was built by the original owner, Peter Eberhardt. 

What is now a single structure was originally built as twin buildings with a breezeway in between. The original wooden siding has been stuccoed over in the English Tudor style, and the space between has been transformed into the pub's entrance. 

ADDITIONAL READING:

Was Rosehill Cemetery Initially named Roe’s Hill?

Cemetery History of Early Chicago.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

The Circle Restaurant in Charles A. Stevens & Co. State Street Department Store, Chicago, Illinois.

The Charles A. Stevens & Co. Department Store at 17 North State Street opened "The Circle" Restaurant in 1941.

The Circle was explicitly designed to attract women with its casual décor, portion sizes, and awarded service. Decorated with murals depicting the compelling manner in which a man is ensnared by the circles of women" s influence. The restaurant boasted about its custom-designed furniture.

It's unknown when The Circle closed or whether it was redecorated and renamed.

Chas A. Stevens "The Circle" Restaurant, Chicago, Illinois. 1941 Postcard.

Chas A. Stevens started in 1886 as a catalog business and eventually grew to 29 locations in the Chicagoland area. Its flagship State Street store (built 1912) was Chicago's fashion hub in the 1940s, 50s and 60s. 

It featured six floors of exclusively women's clothing and a luxury fur salon. The top floor housed a beauty salon, "The Powder Box," and employed more than 50 operators. The salon was noted for catering to visiting celebrities and dignitaries.

Window displays at the store received several awards for design and display. In 1988 the chain filed for bankruptcy and liquidated.

A detailed 1910 Chicago street scene, "Yesterday's Main Street," at the Museum of Science and Industry, postcard. Charles A. Stevens & Co., with Bowman Dairy Company next door.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

Taking a Spin in the Cara-Sel Lounge, Springfield, Illinois. (1954-1968)

One of Springfield's more colorful Lithuanian-American businesses was the Cara-Sel Lounge, 7th and North Grand Avenue, operated for 17 years by World War II veteran Tony Yuscius. Tony died at 86 in 2009 and was the son of Lithuanian-born coal miner Joseph and Marcella (Radavich) Yuscius. After Joseph died of black lung disease, Tony's mother, Marcella and her many children fell on hard times. 

sidebar

The Cohen family, who operated a grocery, and, later, The Mill Tavern and Restaurant, are said to have assisted Marcella—and many others—with grocery credit.

The hard times known by many Lithuanian families in Springfield, generated by death in or from the mines, not to mention mass mine layoffs, led youngsters like Tony and his siblings to work from a young age to support their families. The same conditions led many to launch small businesses as soon as possible.

Tony's business opportunity came sometime after he graduated from Lanphier. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theatre, earning three bronze service stars.

It's hard to know how Tony got the idea for the Cara-Sel Lounge. It plays on the word "carousel" with its colorful circus-themed décor and circular bar.

sidebar

“Follow our bar round-n- round. You will certainly find your friends here.”

Tony and his wife Carol operated the Cara-Sel from 1954 until 1968. There were many neighborhood tavern and restaurant proprietors in Springfield during that period, so one can imagine it was a challenge to find a niche and stand out in the crowd.

After a more family-oriented start indicated by its circus theme and enlarged kitchen, the Cara-Sel hopped on the "mod" train sometime during the early 1960s, with mini-skirted dancing "go-go" girls at night, like those on popular TV shows "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In" and "Hullaballoo."

The Interior of Cara-Sel after remodeling.

sidebar

"You'll enjoy a visit to the newly redecorated Cara-Sel . . . where there's always a Merry-Go-Round of fun amid the Circus Murals and rich, Confetti Colors. Serving Luncheon and Dinner Daily from the sparkling kitchen . . . and the smoothest of Mined Drinks from the Curvacious Bar."

The establishment really made an impression on those who still remembered it:

• "When I went there, it was a nice place for a couple of girls to go, have some drinks and maybe meet a couple of guys. I also went there on dates, like after a movie."

• "Go-Go girls would dance on the bar and in front of the bar—also in the back room."

• "I used to walk by the Cara-Sel on my way to Edison Middle School and Lanphier High School. Recently, I discovered that a girl I went to school with worked there in the 1970s."

• "When I was a boy, my father drove a truck and would arrive home on Saturday mornings, when I would accompany him to the Carousel for lunch. Late at night, there were cages and go-go girls, and still being in grade school, I would not have been welcomed. The Teamsters had their office directly across the street. One block to the east was the Pantheon Theatre, and next door was Palazollo's Soda Shop, where all the Lanphier students gathered. Noonan Hardware Store and Ben Franklin 5¢ & Dime were on the same block."

• "They had a left-handed/right-handed drinking club, and you had to drink with whichever hand behind the bar was lighted. We paid to join, and there was a fine for getting caught drinking with the wrong hand. The reward was a free meal and drink party once a year for the members. Neat place."

In an ironic twist, in the early 1970s, Tony and his wife Carol completely reversed direction and opened the "Northtown Child Care Center," a daycare they operated for 20 years. Tony had two brothers, Stanley and John Yuscius, and five sisters, Mary Yuscius, Ann Asher, Josephine Pavletich, Ardella Dodd and Patricia Bietsch.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.
Contributor, SandyB52

Homer's Ice Cream, Wilmette, Illinois, Fabricated (Fiction) a "Legend" about Al Capone.

THE AL CAPONE LEGEND PER HOMER'S ICE CREAM IS AN OUTRIGHT LIE: 

From Homer's website: "In 1935, restaurant owner Gus Poulos created his first batch of homemade ice cream that was far richer and more satisfying than any other in that era anywhere in Chicago."

From Homer's Ice Cream at 1237 Green Bay Road, Wilmette, Illinois, website.

"Word traveled fast about the quality of Homer's Ice Cream. Its humble beginnings as a two-table ice cream parlor lasted only briefly. Soon, people from all around, up and down Chicago's North Shore, came to Homer's. In fact, Homers Wilmette Restaurant and Ice Cream Parlor, located at 1237 Green Bay Road in Wilmette, IL, is the original location."

"Legend has it, Al Capone, having a lakefront house in nearby Glencoe, was a frequent visitor and most appreciative customer. Al Capone spent many hours in the Wilmette location and always had an unusual entourage. He was one of Gus' most pleasant customers."

Website Screen Capture 02/25/2023 - Click to Enlarge.

Questionable (marketing) statement on Homer's website: "Today, many prominent dignitaries and entertainment stars religiously request varieties of Homer's Ice Creams sent to hotel suites, private homes, and assorted entourages when in Chicago." 

Homer’s Ice Cream / Facebook

Homer's opened a second store at 1534 East Lake Street, Glenview, Illinois, in September 1996.

The Onion, Chicago, September 09, 2010. Owner Dean Poulos (Right) and son Andy Poulos (Left).

THE FACTS:

Al Capone NEVER stepped foot in Homer's Ice Cream at 1237 Green Bay Road, Wilmette, Illinois. 

Capone purchased a house on Palm Island, Florida, in 1928. 

In 1931, Al Capone was tried and convicted of not paying taxes in an effort by authorities to put him behind bars for a long time, finally sentencing Capone to 11 years in federal prison. On May 4, 1932, Al Capone was put onto a special rail car on the Dixie Flyer, under heavy guard, en route to the U.S. Penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia. By bribing the guards, he lived in a cell with amenities other prisoners didn't get.

It was decided that Capone needed reforming, so he was transferred to  Alcatraz "The Rock" Federal Prison in San Francisco Bay's Golden Gate Area in California on August 22, 1934. Al Capone was in the first group of inmates incarcerated on The Rock, a year BEFORE Homer's Restaurant and Ice Cream Parlor opened in 1935.
 
Inmate № 85, Al Capone, 35 years old, immediately tried to assert his dominance and bribe his way to control. Alcatraz's first warden, James A. Johnston, shut down that idea, to which Capone said: "It looks like Alcatraz has me licked."
 
Al Capone served a total of 4 1/2 years at Alcatraz. Suffering from paresis (partial paralysis) derived from syphilis, his brain significantly deteriorated during his confinement. He was transferred to Terminal Island Prison in Southern California for the remainder of his sentence. Capone was released from Alcatraz on January 6, 1939. Paroled from Terminal Island on November 16, 1939, Capone was transferred to a Baltimore mental hospital before returning to his Florida estate. Capone lived in Florida until he died in 1947. 

His wife, Mary "Mae" Josephine Capone, sold the Florida property in 1952. Mae died in Hollywood, Florida, on April 16, 1986.

sidebar

The Internet Archive first captured Homer's Ice Cream's website on April 7, 2003. It turns out that DEAN POULOS, Gus Poulos' son claimed: "Legend has it Al Capone, having a lakefront house in nearby Glencoe, was a frequent visitor and most appreciative customer. Al Capone spent many hours in the Wilmette location and always had an unusual entourage. He was one of Gus' most pleasant customers." For the next 20 years, two generations of the family continued with the lie. 

https://web.archive.org/web/20030407231707/http://www.homersicecream.com/history.htm

HOMER'S ICE CREAM RESPONSES:

HOMER ICE CREAM 

We have no need to lie about anything. The only thing this article proves is that Capone was in prison from 1932-1939. Gus Poulos was making ice cream in Wilmette since 1926, just down the street from the current location. So while the Homer's you know it as today was opened in 1935, there's a chunk of his life missing from that article, as well as the 8 years after he was released. If you're saying you have empirical knowledge as to his whereabouts for the entirety of his life after prison and before prison, we'd love to see such documentation.

"Gus Poulos was making ice cream in Wilmette since 1926, just down the street from the current location," is another deception tactic! The Sweet Shop was not in Wilmette but in Winnetka. 

Below is the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois law suite for stealing money from the family-owned business filed by family members, and five articles, 2015-2016, about Poulos' legal issues. 

sidebar

Via research: Gus E. Poulos operated the "Sweet Shop Ice Cream Parlor" in the Ayres Boal Building, built in 1913, on the Northeast corner of Elm Street and Lincoln Avenue in Winnetka from 1926 to 1936, with his brother, James. 

The Sweet Shop opened in 1922 (after the Winnetka State Bank, the first occupant of the corner storefront, moved to a new site just east) and remained a popular destination for more than 80 years, becoming the Depot Diner in the 1980s, and finally closing in 2008.

DR. GALE

I'm friends with Deirdre Capone, Al's grand-niece. We've been friends for over 10 years. Contrary to popular belief, no evidence suggests that Al Capone ever resided in Glencoe, Illinois. While some sources might mention Glencoe in relation to Capone, it’s likely due to confusion with other events or figures associated with the notorious gangster.

During his rise to power in the 1920s, he owned several properties in various Chicago neighborhoods, including Cicero and Mount Greenwood. Following his release from Alcatraz in 1934, he spent his final years in a seaside mansion on Palm Island, Florida.

Some other prominent Chicago gangsters of the era did have connections to Glencoe. For example, Jake "Greasy Thumb" Guzik, a close associate of Capone, reportedly owned a summer home in the town.

Therefore, while Glencoe might be mentioned in some contexts alongside Al Capone, it’s important to note that there’s no historical record of him ever residing there.

Please provide the name of the company and address of where Gus Poulos worked in Wilmette making ice cream in 1926.

My statement, "Al Capone NEVER stepped foot in Homer's Ice Cream at 1237 Green Bay Road, Wilmette, Illinois," is 100% accurate. The way it is written on your website is NOT TRUE. How about telling the truth

HOMER ICE CREAM

The phrase "legend has it" refers to a story or tale passed down from one generation to another. It is not a statement of fact. This isn't a documentary page about Al Capone. If the idea of him eating ice cream in Wilmette, whether he lived in Glencoe or not, is so offensive to your sense of reality you are welcome to believe whatever makes you happiest.

DR. GALE

Deliberately misleading consumers, knowing the story is a lie, is considered misleading or deceptive advertising. The statement is being used to make a factual claim about the business's history, regardless of prefacing the statement with "legend has it," then it's problematic. On their website, Homer's Ice Cream banks readers are less likely to understand that the claim is unverified, so it's considered manipulative.

Even if a business uses "legend has it" in a playful way, it could still be held liable for false or misleading advertising if the claims it makes are demonstrably untrue. Businesses are responsible for being truthful and transparent with their customers, even when using creative language. Using "legend has it" to skirt around the truth could be seen as unethical. Building trust with customers is essential for any business. If used to make false claims about product efficacy, origin, or history, "legend has it" can be seen as an unethical marketing tactic that exploits consumer trust in the brand.

In conclusion, "legend has it" is not a magic shield against legal or ethical repercussions. Businesses should use it responsibly, ensuring that the content remains playful and doesn't mislead consumers. It makes one wonder what other information presented a FACTUAL Homer's Ice Cream in Wilmette, Illinois, has used. Are the Ice cream ingredients, calories, sodium content, carbohydrate counts, and is Homer's really using natural flavors? You can see where lying can trap a company into customers being doubtful. Homer's won't correct their historical lie!

---

ILLINOIS SECRETARY OF STATE CORPORATE ANNUAL REPORTS: 2013 & 2023

---

ANDREW DEAN POULOS and JON D. POULOS are sued by FAMILY.

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS, CHANCERY DIVISION.

Plaintiff,

STEPHEN G. POULOS, through CRAIG POULOS and TODD POULOS, his agents under his Power of Attorney.

V.

Defendants,

ANDREW DEAN POULOS and JON D. POULOS,

and

HOMER'S ICE CREAM, INC., an Illinois corporation, and POULOS ASSOCIATES, an Illinois general partnership

 

COMPLAINT

Dean Poulos and Jon D. Poulos have diverted funds from the family-owned ice cream business for their own personal benefit.

Under Dean's management, the businesses have deteriorated and lost money, have not regularly paid debts when due, and owe considerable money to creditors. Furthermore, beyond this gross mismanagement, Dean and Jon diverted funds from the family-owned ice cream business for their personal benefit.

APRIL 22, 2015, via Scribd

---

Family meltdown at Homer's Ice Cream in Wilmette.

Crain's Chicago Business, April 23, 2015

The family that owns Homer's Ice Cream in Wilmette is fighting in court.

A son of the founder of Homer's Ice Cream is accusing his two brothers of skimming cash from the Wilmette institution and letting the 80-year-old business fall into debt, disrepair and unprofitability.

In a filing yesterday in Cook County Circuit Court, Stephen Poulos alleges breach of fiduciary responsibility by brothers Dean and Jon and seeks dissolution of the partnership and appointment of a liquidating trustee.

The three sons of founder Gus Poulos are equal partners in the enterprise, according to the lawsuit, which said Dean became president about 2010 when Stephen suffered increasingly from Alzheimer's disease. The action was brought by Stephen's sons Craig and Todd through a 2009 power of attorney, the lawsuit said.

The lawsuit alleged that since at least 2011, Dean and Jon took more than $220,000 in “shareholder advances” for expenses that included membership dues at the Glen Club on the North Shore. It also alleged that Dean “has engaged in a practice of skimming cash received from Homer's sale proceeds without accounting the proceeds on Homer's books and records” while making payments to himself and Jon but not to Stephen.

Reached at Homer's, Dean, 62, said he received a copy of the lawsuit today and declined to comment "until I talk to my attorneys to see what it entails."

Referring to his nephews, the plaintiffs, he said, "If their father knew what was happening, he would be very disgraced."

Homer's lost money during the first two months of this year after annual profit in 2014 dwindled to $30,000 from $105,000 the year before, according to the filing. “Despite Homer's dire financial outlook, Dean has continuously caused Homer's to pay him a substantial salary as an 'officer,' even giving himself a raise from $156,000 in 2013 to more than $185,000 in 2014,” the lawsuit said.

Starting as a two-table ice cream parlor, Homer's grew into a restaurant and manufacturer. Among its accolades is being named to a top 10 list by Bon Appetit magazine. However, the lawsuit claimed the restaurant today "appears dirty and is in need of substantial repairs and updating."

The lawsuit alleged that Homer's lost its “secret recipe” to a company it contracted with to produce ice cream for restaurant customers, including P.F. Chang's and Maggiano's. It blamed Dean for the lack of a written agreement, which allowed “the third party eventually (to) cut Homer's out of the deal.”

According to the lawsuit, Dean rebuffed an attempt by Craig and Todd, identified as founders of medical device companies, to take over their father's role in the company. Instead, Dean became president in 2010 and “announced that he would manage the business exclusively with his sons,” the lawsuit said.

It further alleged that Dean induced Stephen to write a $50,000 check to Homer's on the last day of 2010 when Dean “knew or should have known that Stephen's cognitive impairment had progressed to a point where Stephen was not aware of the impact or consequences of his actions.”

By Steven R. Strahler

---

Homer's Ice Cream Owners Accused of Skimming Cash.

The Patch, Winnetka-Glencoe, IL., April 27, 2015 

Suit brought on by nephews, owners Dean and Jon allegedly paid themselves big time while allowing business to slip.

A pair of brothers are accused of skimming cash from their family business, allowing Homer’s Ice Cream in Wilmette to fall into debt, disrepair and unprofitably.

A lawsuit was filed this week in Cook County Circuit Court by the sons of Stephen Poulos on their father’s behalf, alleging their uncles, Dean and Jon Poulos, kept lofty salaries for themselves while not providing anything to Stephen, according to Crain’s Chicago Business.

Stephen, Dean and Jon are the sons of Gus Poulos, who founded the 80-year-old Wilmette staple at 1237 Green Bay Road. The three are equal partners in the business, the lawsuit stated.

Stephen had originally been president of the operation, but that changed in 2010 when Dean was appointed due to Stephen’s increasingly developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Over the last four years, Dean and Jon took more than $220,000 in “shareholder advances” for membership dues at the Glen Club among other expenses, the suit states, in addition to accusing Dean of skimming cash from sale proceeds without accounting for the proceeds on Homer’s records.

Despite an annual profit that dipped from $105,000 to $30,000 from 2013 to 2014, Dean still compensated himself as an ‘officer,’ providing himself with a raise from $156,000 in 2013 to $185,000.

By Tim Moran

---

Homer's Ice Cream suit alleges mismanagement divides family.

Chicago Tribune, April 27, 2015

Homer's Ice Cream, the 80-year-old Wilmette ice cream emporium that has become a North Shore landmark, is now the subject of a family feud in Cook County Circuit Court.

Todd and Craig Poulos, grandsons of founder Gus Poulos, filed suit April 22 against their uncles, Dean and Jon Poulos, on behalf of their father, Stephen Poulos of Wilmette, who is, according to the filing, suffering from Alzheimer's Disease.

The plaintiffs are asking the court to dissolve the Poulos brothers' three-way partnership in Homer's Ice Cream, to appoint a liquidation trustee for the business and to levy compensatory and punitive damages against Dean and Jon Poulos on behalf of Stephen Poulos.

Not only did Stephen Poulos' brothers take advantage of his decreased mental acuity by convincing him in 2010 to loan $50,000 of his own money to the business, but the suit alleges Dean Poulos, in his role as Homer's President, has mismanaged it and its connected businesses into losses, increasing debt and physical disrepair.

The charges are both false and hurtful, Dean Poulos said on April 27.

"I categorically have gone through each and every assessment and can tell you how wrong so many of these assumptions are," he said. "Unfortunately, or fortunately, my brother is not cognizant of what his sons are doing right now. He'd be so disgusted. For his children to say, after all these years, that I'm trying to do anything at all ill against my brother is so hurtful."

Dean Poulos also said that adding his brother Jon to the lawsuit "is a travesty."

Gus Poulos, the father of Stephen, Dean and Jon Poulos, founded Homer's Ice Cream in 1935 as a two-table ice cream parlor selling gourmet homemade ice cream. Since that time, the business has won numerous accolades, the suit states.

"Under Dean's management, the businesses have deteriorated and lost money, have not regularly paid debts when due, and owe considerable money to creditors," the suit states. "Furthermore, beyond this gross mismanagement, Dean and Jon have diverted funds from the family-owned ice cream business for their own personal benefit."

The suit alleges that Dean Poulos, a Glenview resident, and Jon Poulos, who has lived in Florida for more than 20 years, have used company coffers "as their personal piggy banks" to the tune of more than $220,000 in so-called stockholder advances that have not been repaid.

Among the items allegedly improperly paid for on the brothers' behalf by Homer's, according to the suit:

• Membership dues and other costs of $7,700 for Dean Poulos at the Glen Club, a Chicago area golf club;

• An estimated $54,000 in nine separate wire transfers or checks made out to Jon Poulos between December 2013 and December 2014;

• The mortgage, fees and costs associated with a California condominium unit "for which Dean solely benefits," according to the suit.

The suit also charges that the two defendants deliberately blocked Stephen Poulos' sons from taking part in Homer's management, despite their 2010 request to be brought onto the team after their father's progressive cognitive deterioration forced him to step down as president. Instead, Dean Poulos announced he would become president and would manage the business "exclusively with his sons," it states.

Since that time, Todd and Craig Poulos allege, their uncles tried to keep them from seeing the company's books. The company's accountant stated in 2011 that he would not open the books to them "on the advice of his counsel," their lawsuit charges.

Only a 2013 lawsuit convinced Dean Poulos to allow his nephews to view the company's financial status, the suit alleges.

However, Dean Poulos said that Todd and Craig Poulos dropped their 2013 legal action after an investigation into the business showed no wrongdoing.

"Contrary to their (current lawsuit), I offered in my office for them to go through everything, all the records. They reneged and chose to do it in court. … They dropped the lawsuit. I'm confident the same thing is going to happen this time," he said.

In the current lawsuit, Todd and Craig Poulos say they discovered that Dean Poulos' management lost the company a valuable wholesale contract to produce ice cream for restaurants, including Maggiano's and P.F. Chang's.

That happened after the lack of a written agreement with the third party producing Homer's ice cream allowed that party to use Homer's so-called "secret recipe" and eventually cut Homer's out of the restaurant deal, the suit states.

Dean Poulos' management practices allegedly include a habit of skimming cash receipts for personal use, the suit states, and giving himself a raise from a salary of $156,000 in 2013 to $185,000 in 2014.

At the same time, the plaintiffs allege, their eventual access to Homer's books shows that the company "realized a profit of only $105,000 in 2013 and, not surprisingly, less than $30,000 in 2014." This year, the suit says, "appears even grimmer, as Homer's recorded losses in both January and February."

Poulos, on April 27 denied that the business was in any danger of closing.

"Sure, business is tough, and we go through cycles, just like any other business, especially with cold winters like this year and last year that are bad for the ice cream business," he said. "But Homer's is not going anywhere, not melting down, or anything that they say."

By Kathy Routliffe

---

After family financial scandal, fate of Homer’s unknown.

New Trier News, May 21, 2015

Homer’s Ice Cream, a longtime North Shore landmark, has become the center of a lawsuit amidst rumors of closing.

Homer’s was founded by Gus Poulos in 1935, and since then has been a roaring success with residents of the North Shore.

However, the success of the shop itself may not be enough to keep it up and running. Under accusations of mismanagement, a lawsuit is being filed by Todd and Craig Poulos on behalf of their father, Stephen Poulos, a co-owner of Homer’s Ice Cream and son of Gus Poulos.

The sons claim that Stephen’s brothers and co-owners, Dean and Jon Poulos, have been taking advantage of their father’s deteriorating mental state, according to the Chicago Tribune.

The Tribune also reports that the suit is being filed under accusations of Dean and Jon Poulos using the profits Homer’s reaped “as their personal piggy banks.”

The suit alleges that Dean Poulos has used Homer’s profits to raise his own salary from $156,000 in 2013 to $185,000 in 2014, pay his $7,700 membership fees at the Glen Club, a golf club in Chicago, and pay the dues for his personal condominium in California. The suit also alleges that roughly $54,000 was transferred to Jon Poulos between December 2013 and December 2014.

Although he manages it with his brothers, taking over after Stephen Poulos’ mental health forced him to step down, Dean Poulos is actually the president of Homer’s Ice Cream. And according to Todd and Craig, his management, while president has been doing more to hurt the business than just skimming from the company’s bank account.

Poulos allegedly lost Homer’s a large contract to produce ice cream for a number of restaurants, such as Maggiano’s and P.F. Chang’s, according to the suit.

That occurred when the lack of a written agreement allowed the third-party producer of Homer’s ice cream to steal their “secret recipe” and cut Homer’s out of the deal.

However, both Dean and Jon Poulos are calling these charges false and hurtful. Dean Poulos commented on this lawsuit, saying to the Tribune, “Unfortunately, or fortunately, my brother is not cognizant of what his sons are doing right now. He’d be so disgusted. For his children to say, after all these years, that I’m trying to do anything at all ill against my brother is so hurtful.”

The suit also states that Dean and Jon Poulos deliberately blocked Todd and Craig Poulos from participating in Homer’s management.

When Stephen Poulos stepped down as president in 2010, Todd and Craig Poulos were denied their request to be brought into the management team. Instead, Dean Poulos announced that he would become president and would manage Homer’s “exclusively with his sons.”

Todd and Craig Poulos also allege that the company books, to which they were able to gain access due to a previous lawsuit, revealed that Homer’s “realized a profit of only $105,000 in 2013 and less than $30,000 in 2014” and that this year “appears even grimmer, as Homer’s recorded losses in both January and February.”

Ultimately, Dean Poulos denies that Homer’s is in any danger of closing, according to the Tribune, “Sure, business is tough, and we go through cycles, just like any other business, especially with cold winters like this year and last year that are bad for the ice cream business,” he said. “But Homer’s is not going anywhere, not melting down, or anything that they say.”

by Sarah Zhang and Anna Ferguson

---

Lawyer sued in family fight over Homer's Ice Cream.

Crain's Chicago Business, October 05, 2016

The family that owns Homer's Ice Cream in Wilmette is fighting in court.

The family dispute over Homer's Ice Cream has taken another twist: A co-owner sued a law firm for the Wilmette business, alleging it advised two brothers of the ailing co-owner to forge his signature or induce him to sign a change-of-control agreement.

In a Sept. 30 filing in Cook County Circuit Court, David Najarian and his Wilmette law firm are accused of negligence or, alternately, breach of fiduciary duty, and of aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duty.

“No comment,” Najarian said this morning.

Stephen Poulos last year sued his brothers Dean and Jon for breach of fiduciary duty and sought dissolution of their joint ownership of the 81-year-old North Shore institution and appointment of a liquidating trustee. 

Last week's filing by Stephen and two sons alleges that Najarian's firm “knew Stephen no longer possessed the capacity to manage his financial affairs, let alone enter into binding agreements” after seeking treatment for Alzheimer's disease in 2009.

Stephen's sons Craig and Todd gained their father's power of attorney in 2009, according to the complaint, which alleges that on or after Sept. 30, 2010, the Najarian firm assisted Dean and Jon in getting Stephen to sign the ownership agreement or advised forging his signature on it.

Craig and Todd did not learn of the existence of the agreement, the new filing said, until it was produced last year in the earlier lawsuit.

“The execution of the agreement was part of Dean and Jon's plan to obtain control of the business and to prevent Stephen from participating in the management of the business or from transferring his interests in the business to his sons,” the latest complaint says.

Homer's was founded by Gus Poulos, father of the three brothers.

By Steven R. Strahler

---

Fabricated History Corrected After 124 Years

Dr. Gale exposes Pabst's false claim of winning a Blue Ribbon (or Gold Medal) at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. 

 

Dr. Neil Gale's work in bringing to light the published 1893 contest rules played a crucial role in prompting Pabst to finally address and correct the false claim about their "blue ribbon" award. His meticulous research and use of a definitive source like the official Exposition rules added significant weight to his argument and ultimately forced Pabst Brewery, Pabst Mansion, and the Wisconsin Historical Society to acknowledge the truth. This highlights the importance of using credible sources and verifiable evidence when challenging unsubstantiated claims, especially those used for marketing purposes. The misinformation on their websites was corrected in 2017. 

 

Dr. Gale's efforts serve as an example of how diligent research and a commitment to factual accuracy can lead to positive change. 

---

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

---

KEYWORDS:
"Homer's Ice Cream Lies About Al Capone" "Homer's Ice Cream Lies About Al Capone" "Homer's Ice Cream Lies About Al Capone" "Homer's Ice Cream Lies About Al Capone" "Homer's Ice Cream Lies About Al Capone" "Homer's Ice Cream Lies About Al Capone" Homer's Restaurant & Ice Cream, 1237 Green Bay Rd, Wilmette, Illinois, Homer's Restaurant and Ice Cream,  1237 Green Bay Road, Wilmette, Illinois, Homer's Ice Cream Parlor, Homer's Restaurant, 1237 Green Bay Road Wilmette Illinois, Al Capone fabrication, Lied about Al Capone as a customer, www.homersicecream.com,  Homer's Restaurant, Homer's Ice Cream, Homer's Restaurant and Ice Cream, 1237 Green Bay Rd, Wilmette, IL, 1237 Green Bay Road Wilmette, IL