07/24/2026
Hello everyone, this is Cathy again. As many have already heard, it has been a very busy several weeks for Mindy’s family. We signed papers to sell Park N Eat last week. It has been very emotional and for those of you who reached out, thank you. If we didn’t respond or seemed abrupt., we apologize. In an ideal world Mindy would still be with us running the restaurant and enjoying her life. Since running the restaurant isn’t in our future, selling was the necessary choice but that doesn’t make it easier. Everything that made Park N Eat a cherished community staple was because of the wonderful person Mindy was. The thought of driving through town and seeing something else is honestly heartbreaking.
There have been many questions and I am proud to share what I can. The new owner, Ben McClurley, has helped make this a little easier because he looks forward to continuing with food options in his own way. I think Mindy would have wanted someone to carry on with a restaurant/diner of sorts. He respectfully asked about using the Park N Eat name but we have declined. We are honored that he asked but as I said, we feel that Mindy was Park N Eat and Park N Eat was Mindy’s. So moving forward it will be something else. Hillsboro desperately needs more food and job opportunities and I hope the community can help Ben in this new endeavor.
He would like to have a restaurant or food trucks at the site. If you or someone you know would love to lease and run a restaurant or if you own a food truck and you’d like a place to set up, Hillsboro might be just the place for you.
Interested parties can get in touch with Ben McClurley(217-719-1866) or our realtor, Kassidy Fenton of Century 21 in Litchfield.
I will share any updates he has as he shares them with me. Be on the lookout for more information and thank you again to all of the family, friends, and customers of Mindy’s/Park N Eat.
Photo credit and thanks to David Titsworth for letting me use it.
“Where flowers bloom, so does hope”
