Permanently engraved into the cement walkway leading to the entrance is the restaurant’s name, “Sarkis.” Walking in, one can hear the hubbub of hash browns frying, 5 Seconds of Summer’s “Amnesia” playing on the speakers and ESPN turned on the television. There is a spread of photos that covers the left wall, hoodies sold in several sizes and colors on the opposite wall and an “I ‘heart’ Sarkis” clock over the counter.
The Cramins, a Northbrook family, have owned Sarkis Cafe for 13 years.
Freshman Andrew Cramin is the son of Marla Cramin, who has been the president of Sarkis for the past two and a half years. According to Marla Cramin, her late husband Jeff Cramin’s lifelong dream had always been to own a restaurant. Marla Cramin said the opportunity to buy Sarkis — a place that Jeff Cramin grew up eating at — was “kind of like getting the golden ticket.”
Now, Andrew Cramin and his younger sister wait and bus tables at Sarkis.
“It’s especially nice when I work there with [Andrew] now because he looks exactly like his dad,” said Marla Cramin. “It brings back some other memories when I was there with his dad. It’s just really nice to be able to share what [I] do with the kids.”
According to Marla Cramin, when her son came home from his first day of work, he told his mom he understood why she comes home so tired.
Andrew Cramin said that on busy days, it is difficult to keep up with taking orders and clearing tables. As a result, customers have to wait to be seated.
“You just have to do the best you can to keep up,” Andrew Cramin said, adding that he has gotten better with time and practice.
Marla Cramin said there is a lot more work that goes into owning a restaurant than most people may think.
“There’s taxes, there’s filing all the proper forms to both the Illinois government and to the federal government, there’s ordering all of the proper equipment, ordering all of the food so that you don’t run out of anything, there’s employment, hiring [and] firing,” said Marla Cramin. “There’s so much.”
Once she told her son about all the work that goes into owning Sarkis, he did not see himself owning Sarkis in the future. Andrew Cramin said his current plan is to only work there as a high school job.
According to Marla Cramin, Sarkis also provides the food for DECA at Glenbrook North Springfest.
“It feels nice to be [at Sarkis],” said Andrew Cramin. “It’s always nice and warming there.”