Business: Johnny’s Red Hots
Address: 4931 S. Route 59, Naperville
Phone/website: 630-904-2800; www.johnnysredhots.com
Owner: John Vourtsis, 59, of Naperville
Years in business: 16
What does your business do? “We’ve got a lot of good homemade dishes. Italian beef. Homemade red sauces. The halal gyros are fantastic. … Our burgers are tremendous. We’ve got great Italian ice. Meal deals too,” Vourtsis said.
What got you started? “I’ve been in this business since I was 13 years old. I opened up my own place when I was 20 with a partner in Cicero. It was called Lucky Dog. The one on Roosevelt Road, we opened up in 1986. It’s still there. I sold my share off in 2008 and came here. … You remember Kings & Queens on Roosevelt Road (in Berwyn)? I worked there as a kid.”
Why open up here? “Because I live out here. We had a (business) divorce you could say. I said I had enough.”
How’s business? “Sixteen years later? Pretty good. It takes time for everything, though. You’ve got to build it up by being here every day and kissing (up) and making sure things are done right.”
Why call it Johnny’s Red Hots? “Red hots are just another name for hot dogs. My wife wanted me to use our kids’ names, but I don’t know.”
How long are you here each day? “I get here early, 6:30, quarter to 7. If I can leave in the evenings, I’m probably here till 5 or 5:30 p.m.”
When are you open? “10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. … I still get here at the same time, but I try to get out of here at 2 or 3 on Sundays. We used to be open till 9 on Sundays. In December 2020, I started closing at 6 o’clock. To be honest with you, business is the same if not better closing at 6 o’clock.”
Do you ever take time off? “I’ll take off three or four days and close the place. Put a sign in the door. If they want to come back, fine. If not, they’re not going to get Johnny’s.”
Do you deliver? “No, but we offer catering online. I do a fair amount of catering.”
How did the pandemic impact your business? “I had my cooks, me. We had walk-ins. If I needed help, my kids helped. Slowly but surely in those three or four months of 2020, people caught wind of us being open. It got so busy. It was weird because nobody was in here sitting down.”
What do you like best about this job? “Nothing. No, I’m just kidding. I grew up doing this, so I love what I do. I love making people happy. I love making people feel good when they come in here. Give them a good sandwich. At the end of the day, that’s it. And, of course, pay my bills.”
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Any negatives? “Sometimes the hours, the stress. But, you know, you’ve got to have a little stress unless your last name is Kardashian. You’ve got to have a little pressure.”
Was your dad in the business? “He was a cook in a restaurant. He died very young. He was only 49. … That was a long time ago. I was only 15, 16.”
What about competition? “Everything is a challenge. But it’s OK. I just put my head down, go to work every day, make sure I do the right thing. You can’t worry about everybody else. I’ve gone up against Portillo’s, Buona Beef.”
How many employees do you have? “Five, six, give or take.”
Do you have great cooks? “I do. They’re hustlers. They’re the ones you have to keep. … You can tell. We don’t mess around.”’
Is there a busy time for you? “You don’t know. As long as they come in.”
What makes a great hot dog? “Prepared properly. It depends on the product. You can have them with the snap. You can have them with less of a snap. … You can’t let them sit too long. We steam them. Mustard, relish, onion, tomato, pickle, pepper freshly cut, a little celery salt.”
What’s your hot dog preference? “Vienna Beef. To me, it’s the best. David Berg was good too. They’re gone.”
What’s your advice for someone starting a business? “For a restaurant, it’s like being in a combat zone. Throw your combat boots on in the morning and get ready. Don’t look back. Whatever comes your way, move forward right through it. Don’t worry about eight hours later, the next day, just keep going every day.”
Steve Metsch is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun. If you know of a business you’d like to see profiled in Down to Business, contact him at [email protected].