A fire destroyed their longtime location in Blue Island in 2018, forcing them to operate in a small, temporary space for months.
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"It really has been one of the most challenging things of my wife and my life," said Chef Erich Wennberg, co-owner. "The last year and a half."
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The restaurant was named among the top 50 best southern restaurants in America. The new location on Dixie Highway is at the former home of a farm to table restaurant. Patrons can expect menu favorites, along with some new dishes.
"We're doing a grilled pork chop that's fantastic. Barbeque, voodoo nuts are on the menu," Wennberg said.
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The business, which Wennberg co-owns with his wife Katie, kept nearly all the chef, servers and staff they had before the 2018 fire.
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"We basically reached out to all of them and offered them their jobs back," said Maple Tree Inn Manager Morgan Gansauer. "We had a bunch of people bite, and it's been great."
The Wennbergs announced their plans in August 2019 after village trustees awarded them more than half a million dollars in TIF financing toward the estimated $2 million renovation.
RELATED: Maple Tree Inn to reopen at new location in Homewood
"Even before their unfortunate situation happened in Blue Island we were reaching out to them, like we do with a lot of restaurants," said Jim Martino, Homewood village manager.
Missing from the new restaurant is its distinctive wood bar, which is being restored after sustaining significant smoke and water damage.
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The New Orleans-themed establishment has been around for 45 years and was first open by Wennberg's father in law, who named it after a maple tree that grew in a lot next to the original location.
RELATED: Maple Tree Inn will likely reopen in mid-January at new Homewood location
While the fire may have destroyed a lot, this restaurant family said it didn't damage their spirit.
"Hug and kiss my staff and say thank you, and I just want them to know how grateful we are," Wennberg said.
The official ribbon cutting on the new location is scheduled for Wednesday.