Fra Noi Embrace Your Inner Italian
Albert J. Biancalana Jr. started working at his father’s restaurant in Elmwood Park in 1957. Over the course of the next six decades and his brothers came to run the business, overseeing its growth and evolution into a legendary banquet hall that they sold in 2019. All the while, Biancalana has been involved in Elmwood Park and the surrounding community through organizations and local government – even today at 86-years-old.
In recognition of his dedicated service, Biancalana will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from the West Central Municipal Conference on Oct. 24 at Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont (For details or to make reservations, call 708-453-9100.)
Biancalana first learned he was being considered for the honor when he ran into WCMC Executive Director Rich Pellegrino at a meeting in the community earlier this year.
“I said I think there’s probably a lot more people worthy of it than I am but I will accept it,” Biancalana says. “I’m very humbled and appreciative of the award and want to thank the West Central Municipal Board for honoring me.”
The Biancalana family’s 90 years in the Elmwood Park business community began in 1929 when Al Biancalana Sr. opened an ice cream parlor on Grand Avenue, eventually called Al’s Place. In 1948, the business evolved into Al’s Restaurant. When a then 18-year-old Al Biancalana Jr. joined the business in 1957 the restaurant’s menu was just beginning to include pizza and other Italian specialty items.
His brothers, Jim and Bob, joined the family business soon after. Over the years they expanded the footprint of the restaurant and added a banquet hall called The Elmwood House. In 1994, they closed the restaurant and built Elmcrest Banquet Centre, later renamed Elmcrest Banquets by Biancalana.
From the start, Biancalana was involved in many local organizations to help improve the Elmwood Park area.
“As a businessperson, it’s advantageous to be involved in everything going on in the community,” he says. “I enjoyed the camaraderie with fellow business people and we accomplished quite a bit for the community as well.”
Biancalana co-founded the Elmwood Park Civic Foundation with Angelo “Skip” Saviano and served as president and general chairman of the Taste of Elmwood Park, which over the course of 17 years raised more than $500,000 for scholarships and various village organizations and projects. He has served as a board member of the Triton College Foundation since 1993 and was president from 1995-2001. He’s been a member of the Mount Clare/Elmwood Park Lions Club since 1961 and has held leadership positions with Elmwood Park area groups like the planning commission, chamber of commerce and until recently served as president of the Elmwood Park Senior Citizen Complex.
By the time Biancalana accepts his award, he will have celebrated 37 years of service as a public official.
He was first appointed as a Leyden Township Trustee in 1988 and was first elected by the public to the role in 1989. He became Leyden Township Assessor in 2003 and is now serving his fifth four-year-term.
The West Central Municipal Conference is a regional council of governments that includes 40 municipalities, five townships, two community colleges and the Brookfield Zoo. More than 600,000 residents live in the 200-square-mile region west of the city.
When asked about the future of the Elmwood Park business community, Biancalana says he thinks for the last 10 years or so Elmwood Park leaders have been doing the right things.
“They have been very business-oriented,” Biancalana says. “The future is bright.”
A devoted family man, Biancalana and his late wife, Arlene, were married in 1959, raising three children in Elmwood Park — Al (Laura), Jeanne (the late John) and Tony (Trayce) — who gave them eight beautiful grandchildren: Meghan, Erin, Anthony (Kayla), Nick, AJ, Sophie, Jack and Audrey. He is a son-in-law to the late Luigi and Elsie Antognoli and a brother-in-law and uncle to many.
“My motto has always been family, business and community,” he says.
