Coming from the third largest city in the United States, living in a small town has been a big change for me.
Although only an hour and a half away, DeKalb’s scene proves to be the opposite of Chicago’s. However, as I spend more time here, I see more of DeKalb’s charm and how small town people grow on me.
You can see a blanket of the past here and understand that people here move in their own groove on their own time.
Before many of us leave DeKalb for winter break, I went on a late-night drive and captured some scenes and fun facts that represent DeKalb’s small-town charm. See if you can pick your favorite.
THE JUNCTION: EVERYTHING A SMALL TOWN RESTAURANT SHOULD BE
The plaza where this small restaurant is located is adorable itself: designed to look like a box car train, every business appears to be pulled by The Junction Eating Place, located at 816 West Lincoln Highway.
The Junction Eating Place, or The Junction for short, has been in DeKalb since 1969.
Coming into the diner is like being warped back to 1970 by a time machine, with the pie cabinet, row-by-row booths, brassy lights and counters meeting every expectation of a diner.
Not only does The Junction look like a train from the
exterior, but the walls are filled with train memorabilia, including a train mural and little train-themed decorations everywhere.
Not to mention the toy train that circles all four corners of the diner, all while ‘60s and ‘70s pop and rock music plays. This place has not changed their ways since opening, and that’s what people appreciate about it.
HIT TWO BIRDS WITH ONE CLEAN, BRONZED STONE
If you happen to have a huge load of stinky laundry and pale skin, drive on over to Barb City Laundry and Tanning, located at 818 West Lincoln Highway.
But that’s not all, the business also offers a play area for children.
Taking the niche activities of laundry and tanning and combining them can seem like sitcom humor, but it’s actually a pretty great idea. Laundry can take forever, and you might as well do something equally time-consuming while staying in the same building.
These business owners are really doing it all, and so can you. A quirky place like this one belongs in the quirky town of DeKalb, where there are surprises around every corner.
THE OLD TRAIN STATION
Much like The Junction, this train station, located at 1
04 North 4th St. doesn’t actually function. It’s a note from the past that sits and observes all that happens around it… or inside of it.
Upon closer inspection, there may just be something arriving and leaving the train station through a few souvenirs left here and there, and it surely isn’t a train. Mystery comes along with the brown historic bricks, which are a motif in DeKalb’s downtown.
DEKALB’S HOLLYWOOD SIGN
On the other side of the old train station, through a patch of grass and a string fence, is an illuminated sign with four words and 10 numbers: “Kitchens Bathrooms Call Mike” followed by a phone number.
The simplicity of this advertisement reflects a level of trust in DeKalb.
If this were a city like Chicago, this ad would need bright colors, a face and a polished logo to catch attention. But here, people seem to value simplicity, familiarity and word of mouth more than flashiness.
In DeKalb, a name is enough to prove yourself, and that’s a breath of fresh air.
THERE, THEIR, THEY’RE
It seems like nobody in DeKalb can decide on its spelling. Officially, in its quirky manner, DeKalb’s “K” is capitalized in the middle of the word.
However, driving around the downtown area one can see it spelled as: DEKALB, DeKalb and DeKALB, and this was only between a few blocks!
How many more variations can there be?
But DeKalb’s diversity in capitalization reflects the diverse amount of things happening around the town, like at NIU, the various businesses downtown, in the residential areas or deep in the farmlands. Surprisingly, it’s a place where you can find all kinds of people from all walks of life.
CHICKEN
Once in a while you can catch a whiff of warm doughy comfort food down Lincoln Highway. It’s likely coming from Lothson’s Karry Out, a small wood-paneled restaurant tucked away in the end corner of the Lincoln Highway strip, located at 644 East Lincoln Highway.
In this place where chicken is king, a woman manages paper strip orders pinned on the wall, with huge bubbling pots and flour scattered all around. This is Janet Fawcett, who has worked at the business for decades.
Opened in 1949 by Keith and Arlene Lothson, this small diamond in the rough is another time machine here in DeKalb.
At one point, around the 1950s, there were five Lothson’s Karry Outs around the Northern Illinois area. Parties in “the coop” were popular events for DeKalb residents.
Now with just a location left, the same neon sign calls in customers old and new. Even barely stepping into this restaurant makes you feel the decade-long love put into this place. If you want some true DeKalb history, get your carry-out here, just remember, no Apple Pay!
Results of last week’s poll: What is the best way to spend Thanksgiving break?
Start the do-it-yourself project you’re putting off – 7%
Take a trip – 0%
Reconnect with friends and family – 57%
Spa – 0%
Volunteer – 0%
Catch up! – 36%
