1920
Women win the right to vote in the U.S.
1921
The World Series is broadcast on the radio for the first time
1927
Elisha Shabaz begins selling tamales to pushcart vendors in downtown Chicago, founding Illinois Tamale Company
1929
The stock market crashes, precipitating the Great Depression
1934
The Chicago Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup
1940
Elisha’s youngest son Edward starts working at Illinois Tamale Company with his dad
1946
Edward’s son Warren is born
1947
Jackie Robinson plays his first MLB game with the Dodgers
1949
The tamale business continues to grow steadily
1952
The Shabaz family continues to grow steadily as well
1955
Warren begins working at Illinois Tamale Company at the ripe old age of 9. At this time the only employees are Warren, his grandpa Elisha, his grandma Nancy, and Pete the Armenian.
1958
Elisha and his wife Nancy diligently rolling tamales
1961
The Chicago Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup
1964
Warren assumes management of Illinois Tamale Company, incorporates the business and condenses the name to Il-Ta-Co (Iltaco) Foods Company
1965
Warren is drafted into the Army and is shortly thereafter dispatched to the U.S. Navy, while his mother and brother manage the business in his stead
1969
Man lands on the moon
1970
Warren resumes management of Iltaco upon his return from military duty and gets straight to work
1971
Warren falls in love and marries his lovely bride Mariam
1973
Iltaco moves operations to its current location at 1376 W Hubbard Street
1974
Warren & Mariam have their first child, a daughter named Alisha, her namesake being her great grandfather and Iltaco’s founder Elisha
1976
This was a big year! Warren & Mariam’s first son Andrew is born,as is the Pizza Puff! The Original Pizza Puff is introduced to local Chicagoans and quickly added to Iltaco’s line of products
1978
The Beef Pizza Puff is added to the Puff product line
1980
Warren & Mariam’s second son Adam is born and the Ham & Cheese Puff is added to the Puff line
1981
First female Supreme Court justice Sandra Day O’Connor is sworn in
1986
The Chicago Bears win the Super Bowl and everybody partied hard
1987
Four Cheese, Spinach & Cheese, and Deluxe Puffs are added to the product line
1989
The Big Pizza is introduced and added to Iltaco’s product line
1991
The World Wide Web is introduced to the public
1992
Iltaco expands its current location
1997
2001
Alisha Shabaz begins working at Iltaco Foods
2005
The Chicago White Sox win the World Series
2008
President elect Barack Obama delivers his acceptance speech at Grant Park in downtown Chicago
2009
Adam Shabaz begins working at Iltaco Foods
2010
The Chicago Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup
2012
The Gyro and Breakfast Sausage flavors are added to the growing variety of puffs
2013
The Chicago Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup and the BBQ Pulled Pork Puff is added
2014
The Buffalo Chicken puff is added to the roster
2015
Andrew Shabaz begins working at Iltaco Foods; the Chicago Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup
2016
The Chicago Cubs win the World Series and the Reuben Puff is added
2017
The sales team working hard at trade shows
2018
Warren and Mariam now have all of their children working in the family business
2019
Andrew’s first son Alex begins his Iltaco training, becoming the fifth generation of Shabazs to learn the family biz
