The Hen House Family Restaurant is back
The resurrection of yet another restaurant with deep Springfield roots is in the works.
Larry Rugg – who closed THE HEN HOUSE FAMILY RESTAURANT in Springfield last summer after three decades of serving comfort food from the barn-inspired structure off the Toronto Road exit – confirmed this week a new tenant has signed on to reopen the business.
“I have a lease signed. It will operate as The Hen House,” said Rugg, who declined to name the tenant, but said a fall opening is planned. “That will be nice to have The Hen House back.”
The business closed May 2022 after three decades of serving up breakfast and lunch fare from the red-and-white hay barn building on the southeast corner of Interstate 55 and Toronto Road.
The Hen House’s menu harkened back to another time – breakfast plates served throughout the day and country dinners with the likes of ham steak or liver and onions.
Rugg cited the expense of replacing the building’s dated air conditioning system, which had recently played out, as a main factor in the closure.
The Hen House Family Restaurant was once a thriving chain with 40 locations throughout the Midwest. The Springfield location was the 12th store to open in the Chesterfield, Mo. - based chain. By last summer, it was one of only four Hen House’s still serving Interstate customers.
Today, the business’ home-style cooking can only be found in Mahomet off Interstate 74 and Arcola off Interstate 57 both of which Rugg owns. The third – in the St. Louis suburb of Pontoon Beach – closed last fall.
The first Hen House Family Restaurant opened in Gardner in northern Illinois in 1970. The brand quickly expanded with three dozen locations popping up along Interstate systems throughout Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky and Missouri. The chain filed for bankruptcy in the 1990s with only a handful of privately owned locations surviving the liquidation.
The Hen House’s revival in Springfield marks a recent string of reboots of brands thought lost to local diners.
Last month, the owner of the downtown Hickox Building confirmed NORB ANDY’S TABARIN would be returning to the 518 E. Capitol Ave. address later this year.
The tabarin served as a favorite watering hole for the Capitol crowd since the late 1930s before ANCHORS AWAY moved into the basement bar in 2017. Anchors Away closed earlier this year.
And while not as historic, WINGSTOP returned to 1665 Wabash Ave. in May two years after a fire closed the Garland, Texas-based chain.
Consider BLOOM WINE BAR & FLORALS – poised to open on the downtown Springfield square this fall – as an alternative to the traditional bar scene.
“My friends are leaning towards the wine scene vs the bar scene where we spent our 20s,” said Brittney Robinson, who with partners Caitlin Becker and Hannah Goss, are behind the new venture. “It’s not as loud, intense. A more relaxed space to come together, hang out.”
Bloom Wine Bar & Florals is on track to open at 2 S. Old State Capitol Plaza - next to the Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices State Historic Site - this fall.
A full wine list will be available, as well as cocktails, mocktails and craft beers. Nibbles will feature charcuterie boards, small plates and flatbreads all made on site.
And as the name implies, the business also will sell fresh, cut floral selections available for build-you-own or prepared bouquets.
Public hours will be available, as well as the option of renting the space for private events.
Fans of LITTLE CAESARS now have a second location to purchase their Pizza! Pizza!
A second Springfield address for the Detroit, Mich.-based chain opened at 2427 Adlai Stevenson Drive June 23.
Franchise operator Steve Brevitz is new to the Springfield market, but not the Little Caesars’ brand. He already operates Little Caesars’ outlets in Jacksonville, Quincy and Hannibal, Mo.
The Stevenson site is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Phone: 217-717-3933.
Brevitz said he intends to expand the chain’s presence in the Springfield market but added no specific sites have been identified.
Little Caesars already has a location at 1614 S. MacArthur Blvd. operated by franchise operator Jignesh “Jay” Patel.
UGLY RESTAURANT & BAR has added breakfast hours.
The new restaurant at 2312 Wabash Ave. is now serving traditional Turkish breakfast dishes every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 7 to 11 a.m.
Selections range from omelets stuffed with Turkish sausage or sliced doner meat to a breakfast sandwich made with a Turkish bagel, white labneh cheese and black olives, crispy Turkish cheese rolls known as Sigara Borek to breakfast salads.
Ugly Restaurant & Bar opened this spring, serving Turkish lunch and dinner selections. These menu offerings are still available from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
The A la Carte column will be on hiatus next week but will return July 16. The A La Carte column highlights restaurant openings, closing, renovations and relocations, as well as personnel changes and business news. Natalie Morris can be reached at 737-7254 or by email at natalie.sjr@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: The Hen House Family Restaurant is back
