Rip’s Tavern an Illinois Valley mainstay for nearly 90 years

If you live in the Illinois Valley, you’re almost certainly familiar with Rip’s Tavern.

Established in 1936 by Sylvio “Rip” and Emma Gualandri, the establishment at 311 N. Main St. in Ladd has been serving chicken, crispies, pickles, fried appetizers, beer and liquor for 89 years.

Current owners Angie Panizzi and Gabe Leonard, who are siblings, have been part of the ride for more than two decades and have capitalized on the great food and sense of community since taking ownership on July 1, 2019.

“I started working there in the fall of 2002, and I’ve worked there ever since,” said Panizzi, 41, a Spring Valley native. “I worked there when I went to college at both Illinois Valley Community College and Columbia College in Chicago because I’d come back to work. When I was home from college on a break and working, I met my husband, Matt Panizzi, at Rip’s.”

The sense of community is one of the reasons Panizzi is so drawn to Rip’s.

“I just like being part of people’s stories. In the 23 years I’ve been involved, a lot changes. You’re really a part of people’s lives. I’ve seen people come into Rip’s and have their first dates, their first child and their first grandchild. I hear stories, ‘I had my first date here 50 years ago’ or ‘My wife and I came to Rip’s after we got married 65 years ago and we have come back every year since.’ I love the tradition,” she said.

“I’ve spent over half of my life at Rip’s. It’s part of my story. It’s part of my kids’ stories. It’s where I met my husband. We had pictures taken there for our wedding reception. It’s neat being part of the community and everybody’s lives,” she added.

Leonard, 33, who first worked for Rip’s in January 2014, remembers Rip’s dinners when he was a kid. Since his older sister brought him into the Rip’s Tavern landscape, he’s never left.

“Rip’s has always been an important part of my life growing up. My sister worked there when we would always eat at our grandparent’s house on a lot of Sundays in Ladd. When I was eating Rip’s half-dark chicken when I was 8 years old, I never thought I’d own the place eventually,” said Leonard.

“It’s been an amazing experience. It’s a lot of hard work, but we have a great community that always comes together. Talk about experience; we only owned Rip’s for eight months before COVID-19 happened. We closed the dining room and started curbside service. Lines were two blocks long instead of wrapped around indoors. Here we are six years later, and we’re doing well,” he said.

The sister-brother duo bought the restaurant and bar from Bill and Dave Rounds. Employees were worried about who the next owner could be when the Rounds announced they were interested in selling. They were then relieved when Panizzi and Leonard became the new bosses.

Betha Ghighi, who started at Rip’s in 1998 and is still currently employed, looked for other jobs because she thought her time at Rip’s was over. She’s glad she stayed.

“I remember it being so busy when I started. They threw me in as a waitress because I was 18 and couldn’t be behind the bar. Then it evolved into me bartending. People are in shock when I say I’ve been there since 1998, but I wouldn’t know what I’d do without Rip’s,” Ghighi said.

“It’s my normal routine. I enjoy being there. I enjoy the people. It’s fun. It’s busy. It’s a whole vibe. I honestly can’t imagine my life without Rip’s and the environment,” Ghighi said. “People ask me if I get sick of the food. Absolutely not. I don’t order chicken from anywhere else because it is the best chicken around. Why would I order anywhere else?”

Panizzi and Leonard are happy to hear these sentiments because they feel the same. Morphing from employee to employer may be hard for some, but the pair have been able to move forward through any adversity because of their cohesion, quality staff and a supportive community.

“We have worked together really well. We have always been close. Gabe is a lot younger than me, so there isn’t a lot of competitiveness or anything like that,” Panizzi said. “I’ve also worked at Rip’s a lot longer than him. I don’t want to say I’m the boss because I definitely couldn’t do it without him.

“Sometimes, he follows my lead, but what he does is so important and so amazing. He stepped into cooking really well. Before we started doing the final stuff to take over ownership, Gabe was a bartender. Now he runs the kitchen,” she said.

Although they were spoken to at two different times and locations for this story, they both said the same thing – they couldn’t do it without the other.

“Angie and I do it together. We’re a great team. I can’t do it without her. She brought me on. I’ve always looked up to her. We make it work. It’s great to still have the lines with people waiting to eat Rip’s chicken. There is nothing like it,” Leonard said. “It’s my bias, but I do think we have the best chicken in the area. We’ve always kept it the same through all of the generations. As things change with the economy and the landscape of the restaurant world, we are doing our best to keep everything the same as it has been since the beginning.

“Rip’s is a social gathering,” Leonard added. “People come from all over the state and out of the state and will wait one and a half hours. They come with a common interest – eat great fried chicken and have a beer. People can relax at Rip’s and have a good time. It’s a party. We always want it to be a good time and a good experience for customers.”

Rip’s Tavern was the winner of Best Chicken Strips in the 2024 Best of the Illinois Valley contest. Nominations are now being accepted for the 2025 contest. Visit the website for more information.