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Pinky's comes down

Posted August 25, 2016 11:00 pm

By Pete Spitler Staff Writer

The building that once housed Pinky's Sugarland and a list of other establishments is no more.

The 1800s-era structure - which was the former headquarters of the Randolph County Republican Party, as well as a dentist's office, beauty shop, shoe shop, magic shop and other uses - was demolished in the early morning hours of Friday.

"The asbestos was removed about two weeks ago and we had to file a report with EPA and give 10 days notice like we did with the gas station," said Chester Mayor Tom Page, referring to the old Texaco station that was demolished in 2015 to make room for a widened intersection of State and Opdyke streets. "We did everything according to the book and I know social media's going to blow us up on that."

Chester Maintenance Department Supervisor Randy Eggemeyer told the Herald Tribune that demolition of the building began at 4 a.m. to take advantage of light traffic conditions.

"Otherwise, we would have to shut the intersection down," he said.

In a Thursday Facebook post made on her business page, Pinky's Sugarland owner Dianna Mueller wrote that the "word on the street" was the building was coming down today.

"That wonderful old building and I have quite a history together," she wrote. "We were in a two-page colored feature in the Belleville (News) Democrat, interviewed on television on Chicago Station WGN News, written up in the St. Louis newspapers time and time again and even placed on the tour guides!

"There were so many more instances where Pinky's was known, like the Korean Airlines inflight magazine, the "Get Out" magazine and so many, many, more!"

The City of Chester had previously put the building out for public auction with the catch that whoever purchased it, would have to move it.

No bids were received and Pinky's was slated for demolition. An attempt by the Chester Beautification/Tourism Commission to try and save it by getting it on Landmark Illinois's "Most Endangered" list came too late.

"It was sitting on dirt, there was no sandstone foundation," Page said. "It was infested with termites and hopefully, that property's value will go up and be more attractive for a business to come in."

In her Facebook post, Mueller commented on what the future may be like without Pinky's.

"I will miss it so very much and one day you will find yourself saying to your son or daughter, 'here's where a beautiful old two-room building stood,'" she wrote. "It served Chester since the late 1800s as a doctor's office, a beauty shop, a magic shop and even a cake pop shop, among so many other businesses.

"'I wish you could have seen it...all pink and pretty.'"

When asked what the city's plans are for the now-vacant property, Page said the city will maintain that corner.

"What exactly we're going to do, we don't know at this time," he said. "Again, I'd like to entertain the thought of a new business to come in.

"To me, that's one of the prime locations for a new business. I would like something to come in there."

In other business news, Page told the Herald Tribune that things appear to be progressing on the proposed Taco Bell in the Chester Center on the former location of the Pizza Hut.

Columbia (Ill.)-based mega developer Joe Koppeis, who owns the Chester Center and is also developing the old Apple Tree Inn property along State Route 127 in Murphysboro, is reportedly behind the new development in Chester.

"He's supposed to be arranging a meeting within the next 30 days between me and a developer on the new Taco Bell," Page said. "It is my understanding it will be just a Taco Bell and they don't do the combo ones anymore."

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