2024 brought significant changes to the Bloomington-Normal food scene. Several beloved establishments closed their doors, while exciting new ventures opened, offering fresh flavors and experiences to our community. Let’s review the year’s openings and closings:
Bob Evans (2115 W Market St. Bloomington): Closed March 1, 2024, after a long run since its opening in October 2003.
KFC (Market St.): This Bloomington establishment, open since May 1979, closed April 1, 2024.
Pho Bowl (115 Krispy Kreme Dr #1, Bloomington): Open in Summer 2021, the business closed on May 16, 2024.
The Chocolatier (3 Finance Dr, Bloomington): This beloved chocolate shop in Bloomington, a community favorite since 1998, closed its doors on May 25, 2024. They spent 15 years in Downtown Bloomington before relocating to their site on Finance Drive.
Common Ground Grocery (516 N Main St, Bloomington): A downtown Bloomington staple, operating since 1977, Common Ground closed its doors on June 1, 2024. Owner Lua Travis shared a heartfelt message on their website expressing thanks and explaining the difficult financial realities that led to the closure. “I am heartbroken that I have to announce the closing of Common Ground Grocery…Expenses keep going up, sales do not keep up. The money to keep this store as vibrant as it once was is simply not there… I know this will make many, many people sad to hear. I’m so sorry to all of you who I’m disappointing right now.“
Red Robin (107 Veterans Parkway, Normal): Closed June 28, 2024. They opened in 2015.
Crossroads Cafe (1000 E Cemetery Ave, Chenoa, IL): Closed July 9, 2024, after a successful run since 2018. Owners Rod and Laura Kodavatikanti shared that while the brick-and-mortar location was closing, they plan to continue with pop-ups and vendor shows.
Zeta Coffee (201 S Seminary St, Downs): After a brief period of operation, which began in April 2023, owner Joel Aper’s venture—a coffee shop that also served ice cream, located in the former ‘The Union’ ice cream shop—concluded its run on July 21, 2024.
Meatheads (305 N. Veterans Parkway, Bloomington): The original Meatheads location, open since 2007, closed its doors for just a short while in late July, making way for the new Epic Burger.
The Velvet Cup Coffee Co/Velveteen Coffee (417 S. Clinton St, McLean): Closed August 1, 2024, after a brief but enthusiastic start in March 2024. Owners Andrea and Brandon Lyttle shared this message on their Facebook page: “Since even before we opened in March of this year, our team has been dedicated to bringing a great coffee experience to the people of Mclean, IL and the surrounding towns. We’ve had such an amazing time meeting our customers, hearing your stories, and becoming a part of your community…“
Social Taco (307 Veterans Parkway Suite 500, Normal): Closed on August 2, 2024, after a brief operation that began in February 2024, the business owned by Jimmy Mapugay came to an end. The venture was well-known for its ‘tacos ’round the world,’ which were offered in 23 varieties.
Crave Hot Dogs (2401 E Oakland Ave, Unit B. Bloomington): Closed August 2, 2024. They opened on October 1, 2022.
Pizza Hut (Main St.): This location, a Bloomington fixture since 2013, closed August 27, 2024.
Sao’s Late Night Eatery (309 East Wood Bloomington, IL): Closed September 1, 2024, after opening July 2, 2023. Owner Sao Renee shared that due to unforeseen health and personal issues, she had to make the difficult decision to close. She expressed gratitude for the support of the community.
CH3 (915 E Washington St, Bloomington): This third Coffee Hound location, inside Bloomington Cycle and Fitness, closed earlier this year, making way for Recreation Coffee.
KFC (Prospect Rd): This location, open since January 1, 1985, closed August 19, 2024.
Under Wraps/A La Tavalo (113 N Center St, Downtown Bloomington): Closed October 25, 2024. Their Facebook page shared: “Dear friends and loyal customers…After an incredible journey, it’s with a heavy heart that we announce this Friday will be the last day for Under Wraps. We want to sincerely thank each and every one of you for the wonderful memories, relationships, and your unwavering support…this isn’t goodbye forever! We’re excited to share that we’re working with another restaurant group to potentially revamp nighttime service and bring new lunch offerings from Under Wraps in the future. Stay tuned—we’ll keep you all updated!“
Ray’s Steak & Lemonade (1715 Bradford Lane, Normal): Known for their fried Philly sandwiches, chicken and lemonade, the business closed on November 2, 2024. Their Facebook page expressed gratitude for the community’s support during their three-year run since August 2021: “Bloomington/Normal is an awesome community. For three years, you have supported us with your business and encouragement. We have grown to know many of you on a personal level and I consider you my friends. Because of our relationships with you, our business has been full of joy and purpose. We Thank you so much for that, we appreciate your support.“
Balanced Brews (504 N. Walnut St, LeRoy): This “mom and pop” coffee shop located in beautiful Le Roy closed November 3, 2024. Their Facebook message: “With a heavy heart we have to announce that we will be closing by the end of the year. We are so thankful for all the love and support that everyone has showed us over the past year and a half. Business is growing and unfortunately with that has come some other complications for us.“
Aroma Indian Restaurant (716 S Eldorado Rd, Bloomington): Owner Siva Busa closed Aroma in Fall 2024 to make way for a new concept what is now Wok to Bowl.
Millie’s Chill and Grill (101 S Walnut St, Le Roy): Closed December 15, 2024. Their Facebook post from that day captures the essence of their time: “What to say after a day like today? It felt much like our opening day! We came up with this crazy idea in hopes of giving our kids a work ethic and to provide our community a place that allowed fellowship over a meal or ice cream. It became so much more than that… We can never thank our staff enough for being so committed to helping this succeed… We can never thank all of our loyal customers and community enough for supporting us.“
Nightshop (517 N. Main St. Bloomington): Set to close on December 21, 2024. Their Facebook page states, “It’s not farewell forever, we love this community too much. But for now, we have nothing but gratitude for every act that shared their art with us. Stay tuned to see how we evolve. We love you, Central IL, and we’re never letting that go.”
Ride the Nine/Shooters Lounge (503 N. Prospect Rd, Bloomington): Owners Glenn Corkill and Scott Tuggle have sold the business to new owners. They are uncertain about their plans for the building. Ride the Nine and Shooters Lounge have been in B-N since 1991. Rising wages, utilities, shortages of products, staff, and closure during COVID were cited as reasons behind their decision.
Heaterz Hot Chicken (100 S Fell St, Uptown Normal): Opened January 5, 2024. This new spot brought a fiery taste of Nashville hot chicken to Uptown Normal.
Tequilas (1280 W Cleveland St. Suite C, Heyworth): Opened January 25, 2024. A welcome addition to the Heyworth dining scene, Tequilas offers authentic Mexican cuisine.
Revery (704 McGregor St, Bloomington): Opened February 1, 2024. This establishment, owned by Mark Henrichs, aims to provide a unique dining experience by offering high-quality food and drinks. Their mission is to blend a fun and enjoyable ambiance with skillful cooking, creating an extraordinary experience for all patrons.
Jet’s Pizza (401 N Veterans Parkway, Bloomington): Opened March 6, 2024. This familiar pizza chain, known for their Detroit Style Pizza, opened a convenient location on Bloomington’s east side.
Recreation Coffee (915 E. Washington St. Suite 1 Bloomington): Opened March 1, 2024, in the former CH3 location. Owners Kristi Hofmann and Austin Arreola seek to provide a community hub, offering quality coffee and a welcoming atmosphere.
The Ice Cream Shop (103 S. Center St, Colfax): Opened March 23, 2024. This small-town gem, locally owned by the Hartness family, offers over 50 rotating ice cream flavors, providing sweet treats and smiles to Colfax.
Sushi Primos (701 S Main St, Normal): Opened March 18, 2024. Owned by Beth and Noe Castro, this Normal sushi spot quickly gained popularity for its fresh rolls and innovative dishes.
Lab Coffee Downtown (located inside Red Raccoon in Downtown Bloomington): Opened June 1, 2024. Owners Abby and Adam Ghantous opened the coffee shop, which provides a cozy spot inside Red Raccoon, offering coffee and baked goods.
2810 Cafe (2810 Tractor Ln, Bloomington: Opened June 17, 2024. Located inside The Center, owned by Apostolic Pentecostal Church. This cafe provides a convenient option for those at The Center, offering a variety of food and beverages. It is also open to the public.
Funky Brew (102 East 3rd St, Gridley, IL): Opened June 22, 2024. This community-focused brewery brings a local touch to Gridley, emphasizing camaraderie and quality brews.
Nautical Bowls (112 E Beaufort St, Normal): Opened June 8, 2024. Known for their superfood Bowls, açaí and more, this fun new concept, owned by Liz Ritter, is located in Uptown Normal right off the constitution trail. They feature something for everyone including soy free, gluten free, and dairy free options.
Epic Burger (305 N. Veterans Pkwy. in Blm): Opened August 5, 2024, in the former Meatheads location. This burger joint offers a diverse range of options.
Signature Cafe (115 Krispy Kreme Dr #1, Bloomington): Opened August 5, 2024, in the former Pho Bowl location. Owner Karthik Thota’s cafe offers a range of traditional and modern dishes.
Bloom Barista (608 N Main St, downtown Blm): Opened August 6, 2024. This restaurant – a mix of burgers, sandwiches and more (make sure to try their smoothies and shakes!) brings a fresh addition to Bloomington’s downtown area. It became the second restaurant venture for Shekar Venumudala, who also owns Bloom Bawarchi on Bloomington’s east side.
Rice n Spice (110 W. Washington St. Bloomington): Opened September 28, 2024. Owners: Manoj Tamang and wife Puja Rani. The restaurant offers authentic North Indian Cuisine including classic curries, flavorful biryanis, and delicious vegetarian options.
Kobe Revolving Sushi Bar (1500 E Empire St, Blm): Opened November 1, 2024. Owners Vivian Kong Doctora, Eric Chen and Jason Lin Liu wanted to bring a unique dining experience to Bloomington-Normal. The areas first revolving sushi bar offers not only a delicious variety of sushi, sashimi and other Asian foods but a fun experience as well.
Flame @ Bloom (307 S. Veterans Parkway Suite 500, Normal): Opened November 12, 2024, in the former Social Taco location. Shekar Venumudala, the owner of Bloom Bawarchi and Bloom Barista expands into yet another realm with this new concept offering elevated & classic American breakfast and their unique take on cultural flavors and tacos!
Wok to Bowl (716 S Eldorado Rd, Bloomington): Opened in the former Aroma Indian Restaurant location. Owner Siva Busa aims to bring bold flavors to Bloomington with his Asian fusion restaurant.
We’re hopeful that 2025 will bring continued growth to the Bloomington-Normal restaurant scene with these anticipated openings:
Community support is vital for the success of local restaurants. Let’s continue to patronize our amazing establishments and help them thrive!