Does MPHS have photographs: No
Address: Intersection of Route 83, Rand Road, and Kensington (Foundry) Road
Is building standing: No
What is at site: Vacant pharmacy building
When was business founded: 1955
Is business still operating: No. Business closed and building demolished in 1969.
Who owned business: Jack Gunnell
Interesting stories, facts, history:
The land that became Gunnell’s Restaurant and Bowling Alley has a history that spans over 100 years. It was located at 1 E. Rand Road, at the corner of Rand Road and Elmhurst Road directly across Kensington from Randhurst.
The first documented business on the property was Rand Tower. Rand Tower was a popular place to dine and dance from 1925-1941. They hosted many large events for clubs and organizations and were known for their chicken dinners and hosting dance parties until the wee hours of the night.
In 1941, Steve Sobie purchased the property and renamed the restaurant Sobie’s Café. People dined at Sobie’s Café for everything from chicken and steak dinners to chicken chow mein. In 1949, the tower of Sobie’s Café caught fire due to a neon sign short circuiting. The restaurant was able to reopen quickly and was rebranded, focusing on business lunches and banquet/group dinners. In 1952, Sobie leased part of his land to Mr. and Mrs. Albert Heller, who opened an amusement park named Kid-E-Ranch. Kid-E-Ranch featured live ponies and a variety of rides for little ones, such as a steam engine, merry-go-round, and miniature planes.
Jack Gunnell, who also owned El Rando across the street, purchased the property in 1955 and opened Gunnell’s Restaurant and Bowling Lanes. The restaurant was sometimes referred to as “El-Rando Annex.” Gunnell’s was known for its family friendly atmosphere and many Mount Prospect residents have fond memories. In 1969, Gunnell’s was sold to the L. Fish Furniture Company and a variety of businesses have been on the property since.
Although this property has a long history, MPHS has no photos of any of these businesses. If you have any photos or memories, please message us so we can add them to our archives. The photo below shows the intersection of Rand Road, Kensington (Foundry) Road, and Route 83 some time between 1962 and 1969. Gunnell’s is the structure at the bottom of the photo.
