Avondale Rallies To Support Brothers Restaurant After Owner Stabbed, Cook Attacked In Violent Break-In

AVONDALE — An intruder stabbed the owner of an Avondale breakfast restaurant and struck a line cook in the head during an early Monday break-in. About 4:30 a.m., a man broke through the front glass door of Brothers Restaurant in the 3000 block of West Belmont Avenue, pulled out a knife and demanded money before getting into an altercation with the owner and line cook, police said. The man also discharged pepper spray and took money from the cash register, according to police, who said they were investigating the incident. Mikky Wright, a spokesperson for Brothers Restaurant, said owner Nestor Villegas, 37, and a 39-year-old cook who does not want to be named, show up to the restaurant at 4 a.m. every morning to prepare for the day ahead. Wright said they had just started their preparation when they heard a loud crash in the restaurant. That’s when Villegas was pepper sprayed and stabbed by the intruder and the cook was struck in the head, he said. During the altercation, the intruder looted the cash register, leaving some coins and loose dollar bills scattered on the ground before fleeing the scene. “It felt like a very coordinated effort because they knew exactly where the cash register was, and they knew they were back there,” said Wright. After the incident, Nestor Villegas called his wife, Laura Villegas, and his daughter Marlene Villegas, who both also work at the restaurant, Wright said. They helped file a police report and took Nestor Villegas to Swedish Hospital, where he was treated for minor injuries. The line cook refused medical attention at the time. By Monday afternoon, family members and staff were already helping to clean up the damage, sweeping up shattered glass and waiting for the door to be boarded up. While staff planned to reopen the restaurant Tuesday, Wright said the family is going to start a GoFundMe campaign to help cover money lost and pay for repairs. Block Club will link to the fundraiser when it is live. “The outpouring from the community has been exceptional since we posted this morning. We’ve had other local owners reach out and say, ‘We’re so sorry, whatever we can do to help, please let us know,'” Wright said. Monday’s burglary at Brothers Restaurant follows a string of break-ins and burglaries that have hit businesses citywide. On Sunday, Logan Square’s Pretty Cool Ice Cream, 2353 N. California Ave., was also the subject of a break-in. In a Monday morning Instagram post , the business said it would be opening later than scheduled to clean up and allow for police to investigate. “We are missing some appliances, a bunch of ice cream and one big wheel of brie,” the post said. “So be on the lookout for a brie bandit.” Burglars broke into more than 10 businesses in the Old Town neighborhood along two blocks of Wells Street last week, prompting Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd) to urge Chicago police to end their no-pursuit policy and come up with technology that could better track fleeing suspects, Fox Chicago reported. Last month, a burglary spree saw at least 23 businesses broken into in the Portage Park, Avondale, Logan Square and Wicker Park neighborhoods . While intruders mostly left empty handed because owners keep their registers cleared out, the businesses still had to grapple with thousands of dollars in repair costs as a result of the smashed windows and doors. Six restaurants in Rogers Park were also hit last week in the 7000 and 7100 block of North Clark Street, WGN reported . Because most break-ins occur when businesses are closed and empty, Wright said Monday’s early-morning violent burglary was especially traumatic for the family and staff. The support from the neighborhood, however, has meant everything, he said. “They will reopen and have no fear of reopening,” said Wright. “They’re just trying to recover from this. Nestor and Laura are resilient people with three amazing kids and the neighborhood is standing firmly behind them.” ______________________________________________________________________ Support Local News! Subscribe to Block Club Chicago , an independent, 501(c)(3), journalist-run newsroom. Every dime we make funds reporting from Chicago’s neighborhoods. Already subscribe? Click here to gift a subscription , or you can support Block Club with a tax-deductible donation. Listen to the Block Club Chicago podcast: From Stoves To Overhead Heat: The History Of The CTA’s Warming Lamps Episode play icon From Stoves To Overhead Heat: The History Of The CTA’s Warming Lamps Episode play icon Should Chicago Have Public Festival Grounds? It’s On The Ballot. Episode play icon Need A Halloween Costume? A Chicago Thrifting Expert Shares Her Secrets Load More Search Results placeholder Previous Episode Show Episodes List Next Episode