What was once a Cracker Barrel restaurant is to be transformed into a banquet hall/event venue in the latest addition to what’s becoming a burgeoning industry in Elgin.
Under plans approved by the Elgin City Council, the vacant 15,000-square-foot building at 435 Airport Road is to be expanded and extensively remodeled for new use as a banquet hall. The building was constructed in 1992 for a Cracker Barrel restaurant and later became a private nursing college.
Additions to the west and south sides of the existing building as well as a new partial second-floor mezzanine will increase its size to about 23,000 square feet, according to city documents.
Exterior improvements will include contemporary features to give the building a modern look and a front canopy is to be added to protects guests being picked up or dropped off, documents show.
Owner Abdul Mohammed told the city he plans to add a commercial kitchen, and the 180 parking spaces on site comply with city code, city officials said. Most events will be held on weekends or in after-business hours.
No alcoholic beverages will be served because the owner doesn’t plan to apply for a liquor license, city officials said.
Once renovations are done, the yet-to-be-named venue will be able to accommodate 522 people for weddings, private parties, fundraisers, and other community social events or celebrations.
The addition of yet anoter commercial event business only enhances the options available as Elgin continues to expand upon its reputation as wedding venue. The fact that the city offers both traditional banquet hall settings as well as unique alternative locations for events has made it attractive to people planning events, said Bill Brennan, a 30-year wedding industry veteran whose Bridal Chicago Expo is based in Elgin.
“Elgin is drawing people in from everywhere because of all of its wedding venues,” Brennan said. Additionally, there are a growing number of places in nearby Carpentersville, East Dundee and West Dundee as well, he said.
Many of the Elgin-area venues are versatile and can be transformed with different themes, Brennan said. The area’s parks and riverfront also provide a great backdrop for photos, he said.
While the industry took a hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many weddings were canceled or scaled down in size, it’s been coming back and the coming year looks to be a good one, Brennan said.
“We’re optimistic for 2024 and 2025. We’re going to bounce back super strong,” he said.
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
