Partners of Il Mio owner Rich Ciota have purchased the former Brama la Pizza space at 34 S. Prospect Ave. in downtown Clarendon Hills. The group plans to open a new restaurant on the corner.
The purchase was first reported by the Chicago Tribune. Ciota, whose Italian restaurant Il Mio operates next door at 30 S. Prospect Ave., said the group has not settled on a dining concept. "My partners bought (the former Brama la Pizza space); however, we haven't finalized the concept yet," Ciota said.
The property sits at the northwest corner of Prospect and Park avenues, one of downtown Clarendon Hills' most visible intersections. Brama la Pizza operated there from 2017 until it closed about two months ago. The pizzeria gave customers five days' notice on social media before shutting down, according to Patch. Brama did not give a public reason for the closing but continues to operate a location in Palos Hills.
The Tribune reported that Brama's owners did not respond to phone and email messages about the closing.
Il Mio opened in January 2022 and serves Italian dishes. The purchase means Ciota's group now controls two adjacent storefronts on the block.
Clarendon Hills Village President Eric Tech said after Brama's closing that the village hoped to see a dining replacement. "We would like to see a family-focused restaurant fill that space to serve our community and attract visitors from neighboring towns," Tech said, according to the Tribune.
Tech called the village a "highly desirable and excellent place to do business." He said the Village Board's willingness to invest in downtown's future would help bring a high-quality establishment to the location.
The concept is still undecided. The new owners have not announced a timeline for opening or disclosed a purchase price.
