East Dundee to seek new caboose operator after local meat market bows out

Butcher on the Block owners have decided to cease operations at East Dundee's caboose concession stand, leaving village officials searching for a new vendor to take over next year.

The local deli and meat market was awarded a two-year concessionaire's license this spring to operate out of the village-owned caboose at 112 Railroad St. But after undergoing a major expansion at their full-scale shop in Lake in the Hills, owners Tom and Jill Yucuis quickly realized they could not keep up with both locations.

"It's just wearing on me and my family in regards to trying to operate the two businesses," Tom Yucuis said. "I was just spread too thin. It was very difficult for me to concentrate on both."

The Yucuises, longtime East Dundee residents, shut down their caboose operations last month and began working with the village to terminate their lease, which would have been in effect through April 2019.

Through that deal, Butcher on the Block was required to give the village 10 percent of its gross receipts the first year and 11.5 percent the second year as rent payments. Village Administrator Jennifer Johnsen said the business was moderately successful in its first several months, particularly on weekends and during downtown events.

"People loved the product and loved what we had to offer," Yucuis said. "We tried it, and we gave it a good run."

East Dundee officials will soon begin evaluating their options for the caboose, which has been used seasonally as a concession stand since May 2015, Johnsen said. The village is expected to issue a request for proposals and begin accepting applications from potential operators in the "near future," she said.

Additionally, officials are considering partnering with a local college to offer culinary students credits for running the caboose, Johnsen said.

"We're obviously excited about our caboose venture, and we see it as a good marketing tool for the village," she said. "We do find it to be a unique opportunity for the right business owner."

Butcher on the Block was one of four potential operators to submit proposals earlier this year after the village decided against extending an agreement with former tenant Dundee Depot Dogs, operated by James Stanula.

Stanula later filed a lawsuit against the village, claiming officials violated their contract by improperly evicting him and failing to adhere to his rights to a two-year extension. Johnsen said Wednesday the lawsuit is still in a discovery phase.