As Otera Brinson discussed the menu at Elmwood Junk Food Cafe, she noted:
“Who doesn’t love a good hot dog?”
The storefront serves more than just the standard hot dog, though. Customers can find decked out dogs topped with meatballs, pulled pork and other items. Baked potatoes – loaded or not – are also available.
Brinson opened the Elmwood eatery – situated at 102 W. Main St. – on June 4. A ribbon cutting event for the establishment’s grand opening is set to take place at 4:15 p.m. on July 11.
‘An Elmwood spot’
This is not Brinson’s first foray into the restaurant business.
She operated a similar café concept in Texas for a little over two years. She sold the business, however, after she and her husband decided to move closer to family.
The couple relocated to Elmwood in November and initially, Brinson said she did not plan on getting back into the business.
“I was actually going to go into real estate and I decided this is such a cool building and a great location,” she said. “So, I opened up another cafe.”
Situated at a bustling intersection along Main Street, the brick building sits snuggly alongside neighboring storefronts. The structure had to be completely rebuilt, however, after the original building was decimated by a devastating tornado that tore through the town on June 5, 2010. Brinson said the rebuilt shop combined two spaces and worked to revive much of the original charm.
She said the space was formerly home to Subway but had been completely cleared out.
“The only thing they left was the bathrooms,” Brinson said. “So, we had to get all new equipment. We built the bar. We did the counters over there. So, we pretty much started from scratch.”
Having moved from the country, Brinson said she wanted to live in a community where she could get involved. Since settling in Elmwood, she has joined the Elmwood Development Association and is also chairing this year’s Christmas walk.
“I just kind of jumped in with both feet and started doing things,” she said.
Local sports apparel now hangs on the wall in the dining area, and Brinson hopes to enlist the help of local high school students to create a mural this fall. She also plans to decorate with framed photographs of local barns.
“I wanted to make it an Elmwood spot…” Brinson said, adding that she wanted to “make it a place where people here in town can come and socialize and just kind of hang out and relax. It’s a fun little place.”
BLT and Piggy Dog
The menu at Elmwood Junk Food Cafe features a variety of hot dogs, including:
For kids, the shop offers peanut butter and jelly served on a hot dog bun and half of a hot dog.
Various baked potato options – from the boring tater to the Elm tater – are also available. According to Brinson, the shop can sell around 40 potatoes in a single day. When asked whether the café typically sells more hot dogs or baked potatoes, she said “some days it’s a toss-up.”
‘Everybody loves it’
Since opening, Brinson said she has received plenty of positive feedback from the community.
“Everybody loves it, and we have repeat customers,” Brinson said. “We have a lot of repeat customers.”
Brinson said the business’s Facebook page gained over 500 followers ahead of opening. Now, the page boasts more than 740 followers, with commenters consistently praising the food.
The cafe typically sees a lunch rush during weekdays, Brinson said, as well as a dinner rush on Friday and Saturday. She said customers have travelled from places like Peoria, Canton and Brimfield to try the establishment.
“We get quite a bit of business from the outlying areas,” Brinson said. “So, it’s pretty neat.”
Connect with Elmwood Junk Food Cafe
Address: 102 W. Main St., Elmwood
Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday and closed Wednesday and Sunday.
Phone: (309) 219-9223
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Elmwood-Junk-Food-Cafe/61575106920763/
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Decked out hot dogs and loaded potatoes: New restaurant opens in central Illinois
Reporting by Cassidy Waigand, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
