East Dundee awards local meat market with license for caboose

A Lake in the Hills deli and meat market has been chosen as the next food vendor to operate out of East Dundee's caboose concession stand.

Butcher on the Block, owned by Tom and Jill Yucuis, was one of four potential tenants to submit proposals for the village-owned caboose at 112 Railroad St. A selection committee comprising village staff and trustees recommended the shop because of the owners' experience, the name recognition and a menu they believe will complement other businesses in the downtown area, Village Administrator Bob Skurla said in a memo.

The village board voted unanimously Monday to award a two-year concessionaire's license. The business will give the village 10 percent of its gross receipts the first year and 11.5 percent the second year as its rent payments, according to village documents.

"This is a really fun opportunity," Tom Yucuis said. "I think we're going to do a lot of neat things not only to draw people to East Dundee, but to enhance the activities East Dundee puts on."

Pointing to their strong ties to the area, Tom Yucuis said the couple has always wanted to operate a business in East Dundee. They are both longtime village residents, and Jill Yucuis served as village president from 1993 to 2001.

With a major expansion at their Lake in the Hills location underway, however, the couple hasn't been able to entertain the possibility of opening a second full-service shop yet, Tom Yucuis said.

"This is an opportunity to do somewhat of a turnkey thing without a huge investment," he said. Village officials say they hope the deal could lead to a larger-scale store in the future.

Butcher on the Block's caboose menu will likely include sliders, sandwiches, brisket, burgers, french fries, walking tacos and specialty bratwursts, Yucuis said. The business manufactures its own sausages and buys its meat products directly from local farmers, which Trustee Kathleen Mahony said was a tipping point in choosing a new tenant.

Operators also expect to offer healthier options to appeal to customers using the Fox River Trail.

Yucuis' ideas for the concession stand don't stop there. In the future, he would consider obtaining a liquor license to sell beer and wine; adding a dining car; creating a fire pit and gathering spot outside; and insulating the caboose so it can operate year-round.

The caboose has been operating as a seasonal concession stand for the past two years. East Dundee officials decided earlier this year to seek a new food vendor rather than extend a license agreement with former tenant Dundee Depot Dogs, operated by James Stanula.

Stanula is suing the village, claiming officials violated their contract by improperly evicting him and failing to adhere to his rights to a two-year contract extension.

The village was served with legal papers Monday, but Skurla said he's confident the case will not interfere with the Yucuis' operation. "We have nothing to worry about," he said.