Mahomet community reflects on Hen House after demolition
MAHOMET, Ill. (WCIA) — A longstanding Central Illinois restaurant, and community favorite for breakfast through dinner, has been torn down.
The Hen House was a village staple in Mahomet for about 50 years. Now, people are wondering what lies ahead for the property.
Developers said some commercial establishments will be coming soon. Still, people will miss the iconic red barn that was the Hen House. It welcomed people who entered Mahomet from Interstate 74 with its red barn architecture.
WATCH: Mahomet Hen House demolished
Russ Taylor’s family has been around the village for 100 years and once owned the property.
“My dad had a table there that he used as his office,” Taylor said. “So, there was a phone plug in. He would grab his telephone from behind the cash register, plug it in and sit there.”
He remembered a time before the building was erected.
“There was a city dump in that area, so it’s come a long way,” he said. “Then it was a softball field. When the interstate came through in the mid-60s, it continued to develop.”
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People have fond memories of the homestyle restaurant serving classic diner fare. Jenny Gibson came to watch the demolition. She said her son-in-law’s parents worked there as high schoolers.
“She was a waitress. He was a cook,” Gibson said. “So, there’s a lot of memories there over the 45 years I’ve lived in Mahomet.”
There was a table with a sign overhead that read “Table of Truth” at the restaurant, according to Taylor, where older men would meet over coffee. Although, Emily Kroner, who owns a bakery across the street, knew it as another name.
“There was a table there called ‘The Liar’s Table,’” she said, “where, always, a bunch of men would sit around, and it was always a funny thing hanging from it, you know? They were sitting at The Liar’s Table where they told all their old stories.”
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Eastwood Commercial LLC now owns the property and is bringing in a new commercial development, breaking ground at the site in June. Developers said two business have been confirmed for the new site: a national brand and a regional store. They said two more shops will be added to the lineup soon.
Taylor said the village needs businesses to match the growing population.
“Now [that] we’ve got over 10,000 people, there’s just a place for more commercial growth because of the people that are here.”
People were sad to see the Hen House go, but most remain optimistic about what changes lie ahead.
“I mean, I have hope for the future. And Mahomet is just growing by leaps and bounds in all directions,” Kroner said.
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