The Highland House

Last Gathering

June 29th 2003

The Highland House Restaurant at US HWY 41
& IL HWY 22 that has been a rendezvous for
motorcyclists from IL and WI for more than 25
years is closed. It's being leased to an auto
dealership.

The tradition of the Sunday morning ride started
in the 1950s when there was a pizza place at
the same location called Hals.

The current owners John Filopoulos and Mike
Prokos bought the place 25 years ago changed
it to a family style restaurant. The moto scene
on Sundays just kept getting bigger and bigger.

300 to 400 bikes would show up on any given
Sunday during the riding season. Spilling from
the HH parking lot into the gas station and the
auto dealer lot adjoining the Highland house.

I was lucky enough to be up there and have my
camera with me to grab these shots of the last
day.

John "Blitz" Branstrom

Bob Honemann of Bob's
Motorcycle World on South
Western Ave in Chicago.

One of my all time favorite
BMW parts pirates and /2
parts horder. This is his
trusty BMW /2.

Craig Chawla's very nice, very trick
R65 cafe racer w/ Evan Wilcox
hand made aluminium tank.

Craig has a very nice little stable of
BMW's. You can see them else
where on this site or check out
Craig's own site by clicking here.

There was always a nice flock
of Ducs at the Higland House.

The line up on the car wash exit
drive.

Front View

Another Front View

This is the average amount
of people and machines
that would show up on a
Sunday.

As there was really no
advance warning of the
Highland House closing
there was no special turn
out.

If people had known I'm
sure the number would have
been double.

Rear View

copyright 2003 john branstrom

Highland House Closed Sign

photos taken 07/13/2003

Sad isn't it. Quite a contrast
from two weeks ago.

I took a ride up past the Highland
House to see if people were
gathering at any of the other
places in the area. They had put
this sign up.

It's too bad the Highland
House had to close but it
appears that there may
be an heir apparent
already in the wings.
Click here to check out
the Full Moon Restaurant