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With a dedication to historic preservation and community outreach in its construction, and a place for everyone in the family, Millie’s on Main is open for business.
Downtown’s new family-centered bistro comes from born-and-raised Elginites Stacy and Cody Mauck, featuring a full bar, sweets shop, dining areas serviced by food trucks, patio, playground, dog station and a stage for shows.
“We’re just kind of hoping that it will be a spot that can be a focal point for the community to come, hang out and be wholesome,” said Cody Mauck.
The pair wanted to create something that they could enjoy with their kids and provide the city with the same opportunity for family outings, according to the firsttime restaurant owners.
“Our main inspiration was somewhere to bring our three boys. We wanted to have a variety of different foods because they never agree on what they want to eat, and mom and dad like a good margarita,” added Cody Mauck.
Located at 212 N. Main St., the building dates back to the early 1930s. The couple knew they wanted to be downtown and found its history partly responsible for their interest.
“We just looked at this building, fell in love with it as far as what it could be and the potential it had and just really had a craving for something that we would want to go to,” said Stacy Mauck.
The plot was separated into three different sections, each of which had to be restored properly and retain some of its historic identity.
What was once a Gulf gas station now holds a selection of local food trucks and an ice cream parlor, the 1950s automotive bay is full of seating available for private parties and the 1970s connector has been completely redone with a shiny new bar.
While it was a two-year process to get the doors open, construction only lasted four months. Everything from paint color to new windows had to go through historical commission boards for approval.
“Construction was the easy part, it was just getting all the approvals and waiting. Once you submitted something it was four to six months to hear back,” added Stacy Mauck.
The overall layout of the restaurant has remained true to its roots, but the pair was allowed to add new bathrooms and brickwork to a few places. Most of the building’s identifying features are complete replications of its past iterations, according to the owners.
The team was proud to state that 95% of the subcontractors, including recreation specialists, were from the greater Elgin area.
“That’s just part of the beauty of this place,” added Cody Mauck.
Cody and Stacy plan to further this community involvement and honor the buildings history by hanging pictures from the families of past owners.
Other pieces of local Americana decorate the stage area, including signs dug up from the location while under construction and vintage coolers utilized during their New Year’s Eve grand opening, which saw about 1,000 locals turn out, according to Cody Mauck.
The name came from their children, titled off of their 14-year-old family dog, a border collie.
While the first two weeks of operation have been a little slow, which they accredit to weather, the family is set on seeing the location’s potential fulfilled.
“Our original plan was just to build it and have someone else operate it, but it just wasn’t going to work out, the vision, we needed to see it through to make sure it was a success,” added Stacy Mauck.
Open Tuesday through Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mille’s on Main hosts live music every weekend, trivia nights, play groups and private parties. Outdoor heaters are also in use for these colder months.
If all goes well, the family-friendly business might spread its reach even further.
“Every time now when we drive through small towns and see an old gas station, we think ‘there’s the next Millies’,” said Stacy Mauck.
