Allgauer, Gus

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Gus Allgauer Soundex Code A426

Gus Allgauer (1904-1972)

Gus Allgauer was a Restauranteur.

Born in Germany.

He had a son, Corky

Tribune Death Notice, October 6, 1972, page A6

Gustave Allgauer, of Park Ridge, beloved husband of Kathe Allgauer, nee: Kathe Sieverts, dear father of Harry Allgauer, Helmuth Allgauer, and Frank Allgauer; three grandchildren. Visitation Friday, from 5-10 p.m. at the Oehler Funeral Home, Lee at Perry Street, Des Plaines. Services will be held Saturday 11 a.m. Interment at All Saints Cemetery

Tribune Obituary, October 6, 1972, page A6

Services for Gustave Allgauer who came to America from Germany as a boy with $3.65 in his pocket and built a series of famous restaurants, will be held at 11 a.m. tomorrow at the chapel at Lee and Perry streets, Des Plaines.

He died Wednesday in Resurrection Hospital.

Mr Allgauer, who owned and operated Allgauer's at the O'Hare Concord,6565 N. Mannheim Road, Rosemont, is perhaps best remembered for two of his earlier restaurants: Allgauers Nufer at 6666 N. Ridge Avenue and the Fireside at Lincoln and Touhy Avenues, Lincolnwood.

It was there he built his reputation with 2-pound lobsters and oversize prime steaks. Mr. Allgauer had been active in the restaurant near O'Hare and in building a new Fireside Restaurant on Milwaukee Avenue near Wheeling until he was stricken by a heart attack two weeks ago.

"The new Fireside will open in March, 1973 under the direction of our son, Frank," Mrs. Kathe Allgauer, his widow, said yesterday.

Mr. Allgauer learned the restaurant business from the bottom up. Dishwasher, bus boy, cook, waiter, and bar tender; he held every job in the trade before he ventured into business for himself in 1936.

With his wife, he bought the Black Forest Restaurant at 2636 N. Clark Street.

From there, he moved to Nufer at 6666 N. Ridge. He also acquired the Fireside and the Heidelberg at 14 W. Randolph Street. The Fireside was destroyed in a $1.4 million fire set by arsonists on May 13, 1958.

Mr. Allgauer opened another restaurant at the Old Villa Moderne, Lake Cook Road and Skokie Highway, Northbrook in 1961. He moved to O'Hare in 1965.

In addition to his widow and son, Mr. Allgauer is survived by two sisters in Germany.

Some of his restaurants:

Black Forest on Clark Street in 1936

Allgauer's Fireside southwest corner of Lincoln Avenue and Touhy Avenue in Lincolnwood, Illinois

Allgauer's Neufel Restaurant, 6666 N. Ridge Boulevard also known as Allgauer's on Ridge, at 6666 N. Ridge Boulevard.

Old Heidelburg on Randolph Street

Allgauers at the Concord Motor In on Manheim Road

Allgauer's on the Riverfront, Hilton Chicago Northbrook, 2855 North Milwaukee Avenue, Northbrook, Illinois 60062. Opened 1973

Allgauer's, 3003 Corporate West Drive, Lisle, IL 60532

Allgauer's in the Park Restaurant, Hilton Garden Inn Park Place Hotel, 11600 Park Place Milwaukee, WI 53224