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12
Apr

Solar Eclipse Report from 17th Street

Posted by on . -- In Our Restaurants

Post-Eclipse Report from 17th Street
Welcome to the total solar eclipse report from 17th Street Barbecue!

We prepped for several weeks and were excited to welcome thousands of visitors who started trickling in on Tuesday. By Saturday, we were hopping and the excitement had reached a fever pitch. On Sunday and Monday we served close to 1,000 people on each day, in addition to pre-booked catering jobs and bulk pick-up orders. We even did a whole hog!

Faye, our coffee/breakfast/lunch/specialty grocery cafe is fairly new, and guests were thrilled to find great coffee and breakfast, right around the corner from 17th Street. There was a line out the door all day and our baristas were busy.

Staff from 17th Street and Faye on eclipse day
NONE of this is possible without a tremendous team and ours is the B E S T. They remained cheerfully flexible and never slowed down. We were on a perpetual 1.5-hour wait and, once seated, I watched our guests visibly relax, smile, and enjoy themselves as they interacted with our staff. We had lots of nice compliments about the food, but the ones that meant the most were about our crew.

Groups of visitors at 17th Street during the eclipse

We dubbed our viewing event the “Solar Eclipse in the Park” and a few hundred people joined us in our beautiful park across from the Warehouse. We also had a concession stand there during the day.

The most fun part was chatting with people about how much they love Southern Illinois. If even a percentage of them come back, this will impact tourism for YEARS to come.

Four chalkboards filled with signatures of visitors from dozens of cities and countries duing the eclipse

Every time I look at these chalkboards, I see something I missed. I also know that during the madness, we neglected to collect towns from a few tables. Dubai (Tuesday night, not on this board), China, Japan, Singapore, Ireland (multiple parties), Germany (multiple parties), Poland, and Ecuador were represented … as well as so many states. One couple drove from Alaska with their two daughters! Tuesday was also hopping as tourists enjoyed one more meal before the hitting the road.

We’ve been strategizing for months. Based on the crowds during the August 2017 solar eclipse, we knew we’d be busy. We kept our entire fleet of Ole Hickory Pits loaded around the clock. We’re so thankful to everyone on our crew who helped us execute ~ mostly we’re grateful for Mike Mills and the systems and procedures he developed and drilled into us over the years. As he would say, “if it was easy, everybody’d be doing it!” 💛

2
Apr

View the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse in Murphysboro

Posted by on . -- In Our Restaurants

Experience the 2024 Eclipse in Murphysboro, IL with 17ST Barbecue (photo of full eclipse of the sun)

Experience the Total Solar Eclipse in Murphysboro

On Monday, April 8, you can view the total solar eclipse in Murphysboro. The path of totality just happens to run right through Southern Illinois! We’re anticipating an influx of visitors from all over the world and we’re preparing for the crowds at 17th Street Barbecue, voted “Best Barbecue in Illinois” by Food Network, and at Faye, our coffee/breakfast/lunch/specialty grocery shop.

A total solar eclipse is the only time you can look at the Sun without a filter or special glasses. You won’t see the Sun’s surface, but you’ll see something more astonishing: the corona. We’ll have dozens of safety glasses to distribute to guests on that day.

Planning to be in Murphysboro the first weekend of April? Be sure to put stops at 17ST Barbecue and Faye on your bucket list!

We’re doing our best to prepare for a crowd, but please know these few things: we will sell out of barbecue each day. We pride ourselves on cooking fresh and there will be crowds. On Monday, our concession stand will also be open in our park across the street. You’re welcome to bring blankets and chairs and choose a prime viewing spot.

We’re extending our hours at both restaurants:
17th Street
Saturday/Sunday/Monday 10 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Faye
Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Sunday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Monday 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Shuttle

We’ll be part of a shuttle bus route traveling between Big Muddy Brewing, Brews Brothers Taproom, Pat’s BBQ, and Pond Ridge Campground. Leave your car at any of these stops and enjoy free ride! The shuttle starts and 12 noon Friday/9:00 a.m. Sat/Sun/Mon and runs until 10:00 p.m. each night.

Quick Tips

Avoid lines at the gas station and keep your tank topped off. In Murphysboro, we have gas at Circle K, Huck’s, Kroger, Motomart, and Shell. We have plenty of parking all around 17th Street Barbecue, Faye, and in the lots in our park across the street from The Warehouse.

There’s a Lot to Do in Murphysboro during the Total Solar Eclipse weekend!

The last time you could view the total solar eclipse in Murphysboro was August of 2017, when we were also in the path of totality. At the time, Nick Kindelsburger, founding editor of Serious Eats Chicago, and former food critic at the Chicago Tribune, did a fantastic round-up of all the great spots in Southern Illinois that one might check out while they were in town for the eclipse. Nick’s list included a lot of our friends, such as Mileur Orchard. Mileur will unfortunately not yet be open for the season when this year’s eclipse occurs. But we can confirm that the fine folks at Scratch Brewing Company would be delighted to see you that weekend. Be sure to check out Daniel Deans men’s clothing across from Faye, Muddy Roots Collective, and pick up a t-shirt or hat from Schwebel Printing, and Silkworm.

Looking for live music with a little bit of outdoor adventure? Consider getting tickets for the Shawnee Cave Total Solar Eclipse Festival. You’ll be able to come and go as you please all weekend for the price of admission.