Find hidden treasures on Route 66
Vinegar Hill shopping extends to Elkhart, Horsefeathers and Wild Hare

[November 21, 2019]  

Route 66 and Abraham Lincoln are the heart of the tourist attractions in Logan County. Known for its rich history as the city named for Lincoln before he was President, visitors can see the influence of the late 16th President on at every turn.

While A. Lincoln occupied our history in the 1800s, the 1900s brought us Route 66, a national highway from Illinois to California that winds through small town America. The Mother Road was built to unite the nation, and today serves to unite people in one common goal of promoting hometown goodness and even the eccentricities of Route 66 communities.

These small communities have learned over the years to draw attention to their uniqueness and market to tourists as ‘must stop, must see to appreciate’ attractions along the Mother Road.

One such must stop, must see to appreciate community in Logan County is Elkhart. Elkhart offers many hidden treasures that are steeped in our state’s history, from the Governor Oglesby Mansion to the Elkhart Cemetery where lay buried men and women who shaped our state, county and the community of Elkhart.

Agriculture plays a big part in the local history, and the Elkhart Hill is an anomaly in the prairie state.

Recently Andrea Niehaus with husband Peter, who own Horsefeathers and the Wild Hare Café’ noted that when people stop in Elkhart they find that they love the little community, and end up coming back again and again. But the defining issue is getting them to stop in the first place.

Niehaus says that during tourist season she sees many visitors and most are from other parts of the country and even other parts of the world. At the same time, she knows there are people who live just a few miles away in Lincoln who have never been to Elkhart.

Coming up on November 23rd is the perfect time to change that. Local folks who enjoy the Christmas on Vinegar Hill in Mount Pulaski are invited to visit Elkhart that day as well. The town offers a number of unique and lovely shops that will provide a new dimension to the holiday shopping experience of Christmas on Vinegar Hill.

One such example of that experience lies within the walls of Horsefeathers. The store, which was the dream come true for the Niehaus’, is located in what was originally the only bank in the town.

In 2004, the Niehaus’ opened their business and have been working to grow it, evolve it, and make it a popular location for those looking for a mix of old and new, whimsy and practical.

Originally a bank, Niehaus said that for many years the building belonged to the American Legion. But the day came when the legion needed to make some changes, and selling the old bank became part of those changes. The timing was right for the Niehaus’ and they were able to purchase the building for their business. Later they would buy the building on the corner to complete the large area of square footage occupied by Horsefeathers, the Wild Hare Café, and The Little Foxes.

Andrea said that she had always loved antiques, particularly pottery, McCoy specifically and glass. The goal was to offer such antiques along with other lovely old things within her shop. She is also an artist along with her sister Rene’ Sisk. So, art became a big part of the store from the offerings for sale to the interior décor.

Andrea said that for her, owning her building was essential because she wanted the freedom to cover the walls with artistic expression in a manner that would compliment the store and its contents. She noted the interior is warm and interesting and noted the two bank vaults are the café dining area. They have been converted through art into comfortable, warm and inviting areas for guests to relax and enjoy a great meal.

In the store, Andrea said that time equals evolution, and over the last 15 years, the store has evolved. She has added new items and strives to find “Made in America” pieces to put on her shelves. She said that it is fun to be able to show shoppers how they can mix old and new in their homes for a very tasteful and beautiful home décor.

Other evolutions of the business have included an emphasis on kitchen and food. Niehaus said that she offers a good variety of home items specifically for the kitchen and a selection of Illinois made food products such as the Amish lines of jams, jellies, candies, breads and noodles. She said that the products are fresh and tasty and very popular to shoppers.

She noted that tourists enjoy getting a sampling of rural life and the hard items, along with the food items, in the store give them that glimpse of something unfamiliar. She said many enjoy grabbing up the ready to eat items for consumption on the road. Candies, biscuits, jams, cookies and biscotti are very popular.

She has also added a large variety of paper products, greeting cards, birthday cards and more, along with a selection or Route 66 souvenir items.

Another popular offering is the handmade soaps and lotions she sells.

Niehaus noted, “Over the years trends change. People started collecting less and less glass and pottery. Young people are looking for mid-century modern and IKEA, and are not interested in granny’s dinner service, as beautiful as it may be.”

So, once again this year, there is a new evolution within the store. Niehaus explained that this year she had the pleasure of meeting Jan Villarreal who is a very talented local artist and also talented with floral arrangements.

Villarreal and Niehaus are now working together to offer a whole new inventory in the store. Villarreal is providing silk floral arrangements for the store that vary from highly sophisticated items for formal entry-ways or dining rooms to the smaller and more casual items that would fit into nearly any home décor. Villarreal paintings, along with those of Sisk and several other local artists, are also being offered for sale in the store.

Niehaus said that there will always be some antiques in the store because that is what she loves and what she loves to share with others, but the change in structure now is a very good move aimed at attracting a new variety of shoppers to the store, those looking for new and yet unique home décor.

On November 23rd, the shop will observe the same hours as Vinegar Hill in Mount Pulaski – 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Throughout the day there will be shopping opportunities, and also lots of sweet treats and refreshments for shoppers to munch on as they browse. Niehaus said that there will be plenty of snacks and to wash it all down, her special mulled cider will be served.

Shoppers can grab up a small basket, munch on a cookie, and fill their basket with items to fill Christmas stockings, or that one special piece that will be an eye-popper at home, or yield exclamations of joy when opened Christmas Day.

Also, guests can enjoy a late lunch at the Wild Hare Café. The Café will be open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. Peter Niehaus is in charge of the kitchen and offers a wide variety of daily menu items along with some seasonal specials on November 23rd.

Andrea Niehaus explained that at this time of year, they offer specials that are reminiscent of Thanksgiving and Christmas. For Saturday the special will be a turkey, cranberry and sage dressing layered sandwich. Guests can order a salad and chips with the sandwich, then enjoy a traditional dessert such as pumpkin or pecan pie. Of course the regular menu items are wonderful as well, and Niehaus said this time of year one of her favorites is the butternut soup made with butternut squash.

The café is warm and cozy but with plenty of space for diners to come in, sit down in a small or larger group and enjoy a terrific lunchtime meal before heading back out into the November chill.

Niehaus is hopeful that there will be a good turnout of people in Elkhart on the 23rd. She noted that Horsefeathers is not the only shop in town that will be open for Christmas on Vinegar Hill, so there will be hours of shopping available to those who are interested in finding something wonderful and unique just in time for the holidays.

Hope to see you all there!

[Nila Smith/Mitch Douglas]