By Al Benson
After 41 years, William “Bill” Poss of Aurora closed his Aurora restaurant for the last time Sunday, June 26.
Poss, owner of Luigi’s Pizza and Fun Center in Aurora, closed his business–a pizza/pasta restaurant with bar, game room, laser tag arena ,and Sunday church service site–due to a shortage of employees and began retirement.
He said an auction will take place July 26 to clear the Center.
In May, Poss announced on Facebook his intention to shut down his business and retire.
June 22, approximately 200 people packed Poss’ dining room for a pizza/pasta dinner to benefit Aurora Noon Lions Club.
Poss greeted attendees in a T-shirt inscribed: “The man. The myth. The legend has retired.”
Poss has been a Noon Lion since 1989.
Tickets for the event dubbed it “The Last Hurrah,” indicating it was the final Lions’ fundraiser at Luigi’s.
Susan Koepke of Aurora, Noon Lions president, said “Members at a recent luncheon meeting applauded Bill for hosting Lions’ luncheons, special events, donations and loyal support to the Club and community over the years.”
Over the years, he was called on to open membership luncheons with an invocation.
For decades, Poss has been host to Lions’ membership luncheons, pancake-breakfast, and pizza/pasta fundraisers and a Lions mobile vision screening unit. Events in the Center parking lot included a farmer’s market.
In 1953, Mrs. Duncan had a little sandwich shop that was known locally for its outstanding soups and sandwiches.
That year she expanded her menu with pizza, a fairly new item to mainstream America.
Bill Poss bought the shop, then at 1431 E. New York St. in Aurora, in 1981.
When his business boomed, he moved to the former Blarney Stone Pizza on West Galena Boulevard in Aurora.
When Poss needed another expansion, he bought the former Dave’s Super Savers grocery store at 732 Prairie Street in Aurora in 1999.
One of the largest and a unique Laser Tag arenas was added in 2005.
In 2010, Luigi’s installed four lanes of mini-bowling in a game room to add another level of excitement.
Poss said he has an unidentified buyer for the center.
—Al Benson