After 61 Years on Chicago's South Side, It's the End of an Era for Rosario's Italian Foods

By Lorraine Swanson (Patch Staff)

CHICAGO, IL -- This weekend will be your last chance to savor Rosario’s Italian beef, lasagna, sausage, spaghetti, meatballs and olive salad. After 61 wonderful years, the Italian grocery and specialty store will be closing its doors on Dec. 31.

Kathy and Larry Salus are the second-generation owners of the beloved mom-and-pop store that was started by her parents — Rosario “Roy” and Mary Repole — in 1955.

Rosario’s bandied about the South Side until settling at 8611 S Pulaski Road, Chicago. At Christmas, customers would line up 10 to 15 deep outside the store. In its hey day, Rosario’s would cook up to 1,000 pounds of beef, Kathy Salus told Southtown’s Donna Vickroy.

"Our busiest period was the '70s. Back then, if you wanted Italian food you went to an Italian store. You didn't go to Costco. You didn't buy something called Johnsonville Italian sausage. If you wanted Polish food, you went to a Polish deli. If you wanted a cake, you went to a bakery," she said.

Kathy and Larry have lived in Evergreen Park since 1971. They were married at St. Bernadette in 1963. All of the couple’s children graduated from St. Bernadette School.

It’s the end of an era.

Read Donna Vickroy's story in Southtown
Rosario's, 8611 S. Pulaski Road, Chicago.