April 28, 2025
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Eggsclusive Cafe in Sycamore closes for good

Rockford location is remaining one for former regional breakfast chain

By Camden Lazenby
Eggsclusive Cafe in Sycamore closed for good on New Year's Eve 2023. The dining room sat empty on Jan. 4, 2023.

Eggsclusive Cafe in Sycamore closed for good on New Year's Eve 2023. The dining room sat empty on Jan. 4, 2023. (Camden Lazenby)

SYCAMORE – Sycamore breakfast spot Eggsclusive Cafe has served guests since U.S. President George W. Bush was in office, but that legacy ended this week when the restaurant closed for good on New Years’ Eve.

Owner Pete Spyratos and general manager Charidy Tatore separately confirmed the cafe, located at 265 W. Peace Road in Sycamore, permanently closed its doors on Dec. 31.

Spyratos, 40, said he was thankful for the support his business received from the DeKalb County community over the 16 years he was in business. He said the pandemic was to blame for the closure.

“Couldn’t make it after COVID,” Spyratos said. “We couldn’t find any staff to reopen. ... We took longer to reopen than everyone else did. I think that really hurt us.”

The Sycamore restaurant was the first of what eventually became five Eggsclusive Cafe locations, but with its closure only one Eggslusive Cafe location remains open to diners. The remaining storefront is outside of the DeKalb County, near CherryVale Mall, at 7105 Cherryvale N. Boulevard in Rockford.

A sign on the door of the former Eggsclusive Cafe in Sycamore on Jan. 4, 2024, said the location is closed, and thanked the community for 16 years of patronage.

A sign on the door of the former Eggsclusive Cafe in Sycamore on Jan. 4, 2024, said the location is closed, and thanked the community for 16 years of patronage. (Camden Lazenby)

Spyratos said he sold the Rockford Eggsclusive Cafe to a gentlemen in late 2023, and didn’t want to start a new year of books for the Sycamore store.

He’s officially out of the restaurant business and plans to keep that time of his life in the rearview mirror.

“Nothing lasts forever, but I’m excited about that area in Sycamore. I think it’s about to blow up out there. I’m excited about their future out there. I think you’re going to see a lot of big name brands come into that area,” Spyratos said.

Because Eggsclusive Cafe in Sycamore folded on New Year’s Eve, the store’s manager, Tatore, started 2024 without a guaranteed paycheck. However, she said the new owners of the Rockford location gave her an opportunity to keep herself afloat.

“Before I started working over here [Rockford] full time, come this week, I’ve worked at this location as well – so it was an easy transition for me. The management and owners over here are wonderful,” Tatore said.

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