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June 5, 2008

Landmark eatery gets new owner

Hoopeston native returns home, buys L&M

BY CAROL HICKS

HOOPESTON — The L&M; Restaurant, 307 E. Main St., reopened Monday under new management.

Hoopeston native Greg Mullen began his first day with a full house, guided by Larry and Mick Farrell, the retiring owners.

“We were swamped,” said Mullen about Monday’s opening. “We were full and … without any advertisement and people not knowing for sure if we would be open.”

According to Larry Farrell, Mullen officially will become the new owner on Monday.

“I think Greg will do well,” Farrell said. “He grew up here and knows the people.”

Mullen definitely is not new to the restaurant business. He has owned six restaurants in Milford, Onarga and Gibson City, with the last, La Cucina, a fine-dining French and Italian restaurant, in Orlando, Fla. He also founded Mr. Maids, a cleaning service in Orlando at the age of 29 with 18 employees, which he ran for 18 years.

He also modeled for 12 years, doing brochures for ESPN, Disney Cruise Lines, Walt Disney World and Sea World.

Although he said he loved modeling, Mullen’s dream is the restaurant.

“I love it (the restaurant),” he said. “This is my passion, my dream. It’s stressful sometimes but also rewarding.”

Mullen doesn’t plan to change the original menu, but said he might add a couple items to it, such as patty melts, corn dogs and chili dogs. Overall, he said, it would be the same menu that Larry and Mick Farrell had.

According to Mullen, his mom will be making the desserts, pies and salads for the

restaurant.

At present, he employs five people, but as business increases and the need warrants it, he will add more employees.

Future plans include trying a Friday fish fry night and contacting the Lorraine Theatre to see if there would be an interest in doing a dinner and movie night.

His decision to return back home was for family. He wanted to be closer to them. His mother Norma Cox, father Jerry Mullen, and sister Brenda still live in Hoopeston. His brothers live out of town but are not strangers, visiting often.

Mullen, although a Hoopeston native, was a 1978 Milford High School graduate. He attended Southern College in Orlando, Fla., receiving a degree in interior design in 1994.

The retiring Farrell brothers, sons of Raymond and Marjorie Farrell, have worked together for 43 years at the L&M; with their wives Vickie and Ruby.

Larry said it was time to enjoy family and the grandkids.

Mick said he will enjoy some fishing and doing a little traveling or whatever his wife, Ruby, wants to do.

The Farrell brothers extend their thanks to the many customers that have patronized the L&M; through the years.

“We’ve met so many wonderful people,” Larry said. “They seem like family.”

EATERY HOURS

The hours for L&M; Restaurant, 307 E. Main St., Hoopeston, are 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday, with

extended hours to 7 p.m. on Friday and closed on Sunday.

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