“After 71 years and three generations at the helm of their popular pizzeria, the Paternos are saying goodbye to the family business.
“Paterno’s Pizza and Sports Bar, 5303 N. Milwaukee Ave., has been a Jefferson Park staple for decades. JoJo Paterno-Schaerli, whose grandfather started the business, has been working at the liquor-store-turned-restaurant her entire life. Customers watched her and her cousins grow up, and she’s served multiple generations of Northwest Siders.
“Now, Paterno-Schaerli is preparing to leave the restaurant as a new family bought the business last month. Paterno-Schaerli and her cousin, Rachale Paterno-LaCoppola, will stay on for a few weeks to help with the transition. Most of the current staff members are staying, Paterno-Schaerli said.
“‘We are truly honored to continue running this locally loved pizza and sports bar. Our promise is simple: to respect everything that made Paterno’s special while slowly bringing in thoughtful improvements and a refreshed look over the coming months — without losing the heart and soul of this place,’ the new owners, the Patel family, wrote in a recent social media post.
“Lynette Bybee has been behind the bar at Paterno’s for 21 years. Tearing up, she said it’s going to be hard not seeing the Paterno family at the restaurant each day, but their legacy will live on. Bybee encouraged patrons to keep coming and support Paterno’s new chapter.
“‘It’s going to take some adjusting, but it feels good to know that this place and everything that went with this entire family is going to stay alive,’ Bybee said. (DeVore, Block Club Chicago, 1/7/26)