New cafe opens at renovated historic building on the Taylorville square

Building and commercial development is a part of Cindy Frisina’s family legacy all the way back to her great-grandfather, Dominic Frisina, who was behind some of Springfield’s beloved movie houses of yore like the Roxy, Tivoli and State.

Today, Frisina is carrying on that legacy, renovating five historic properties on the Taylorville square with a new eatery Legendary Small Town Trading Co. recently opening in the revived Slatten Department Store building.

“My great grandfather did a lot of building acquisition and renovations,” said Frisina, Heartland’s CEO and the former global head of marketing for Hyatt Resorts. “I’ve followed in his footsteps.

“(Heartland’s) goal really is to enhance the charm of the community, save architecturally significant buildings and create services that help a community thrive.”

The new eatery and retail shop at 123 S. Washington St. is the second of five historic buildings on the Christian County square purchased by Heartland Development Partners LLC in 2022 to have new life breathed back into them.

Linda Allen, executive director of the Greater Taylorville Chamber of Commerce, was among the crowd on Legendary Small Town Trading Co.’s opening night Feb. 9.

“The environment, feel, vibe ... it felt like we were in St. Louis, in a big city,” Allen said.

“Projects like this open up everyone's eyes that there’s lots of opportunities here, while at the same time enriching our appreciation of local history and keeping those memories alive.”

Legendary invites customers to "Sit. Savor. Socialize." while it serves up a blend of culinary delights combining a cafe, high-end bar and hard-to-find culinary retail selections all under one roof.

The cafe is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, serving up hot and cold sandwiches, soups and salads, charcuterie boards for two, pastries and hand-dipped ice cream. The beverage menu features Legendary’s proprietary blend of coffee, as well as a large selection of hot and cold teas and specialty coffee drinks and wine.

Executive chef Chris Coverstone, who most recently headed the kitchen at the Southside Country Club in Decatur, has brought his signature chicken salad to Legendary.

Coverstone will oversee all culinary operations for both Legendary and the yet-to-open Jack’s on Main, a restaurant with rooftop bar slated to open on the northwest corner of the square this spring. The building was formerly home to Rene’s Drugstore since 1937.

Visitors at Legendary are encouraged to linger with USB ports and a Wi-Fi service in the cafe.

Retail selections are geared toward foodies with specialty pantry items, charcuterie boards, wines and spirits, as well as chocolates from the St. Louis-based Bissinger’s.

And a tasting room in the back offers higher end bourbons, whiskey, tequila and wine that can be purchased by the glass or in flights.

The ambiance leans heavily on the building’s charm with tin ceiling tiles, exposed brick walls and wood floor original to the 1897 structure. The trip back in time includes two 14-foot wall murals of historic, black-and-white photos from Taylorville and Christian County’s past.

The original Mesker facade, the name of the family whose members operated several independent Midwestern businesses producing architectural iron product, has been refurbished.

Operating hours are Monday through Wednesday 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday and Friday 7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. A mixologist is on hand in the tasting room Thursday through Saturday from 4 to 10:30 p.m.

Phone: 217-215-3081. Dine in, take out available. The building is ADA compliant.

Natalie Morris can be reached at 217-737-7254 or by email at natalie.sjr@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Legendary Small Town Trading Co. opens inside historic Taylorville building