- Will you consider this?

Things are finally going swimmingly after 40 years, of course there are bumps in the road and a lot of work is involved in getting a dinner theater established.

Then along comes mother nature and turns a sturdy barn and many lives upside down.

All about Goodfield's Barn III is next.

(upbeat music) From finding a permanent location to shoveling out everything that livestock leave behind in a barn, Mary Simon knows the show must go on.

And coming up through the ranks, Abby Reel watched and learned from Mary.

Thus the Conklin Barn II literally gave way in a storm, only to be raised, as in torn down, to be raised, as in rebuilt.

I'm Christine Zak Edmonds, and these two lovely ladies join me to share the story of the Barn III.

Thank you, Mary and Abby.

- Thank you Chris.

- Thank you.

Good to see you.

- Great to be with you.

- We'll start with Mary.

- Yeah.

- And you tag in anytime you like.

- Of course.

- But you and Chaunce started the whole thing back in the day.

- 1975 Chris, and the difference between what happened with Abby and I in a nutshell, really.

We found the barn and started work on labor day, 1975 and opened Halloween two months later.

We should've opened a year and two months later.

Now Abby did it the right way.

And we tore our barn down in November of 2017 and she took a whole year and about two months to rebuild the barn.

And that's really the way to do it.

Because we worked on that barn, well, we were still working on the barn when the barn went down due to a mesocyclone and a micro water burst at the same time that leveled the barn.

- What year did that happen?

- I believe it was 2015.

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

- And so we did a Christmas show at Five Points that year and then Five Points hosted us.

And it was wonderful for me to be able to hold the company together.

I did for two years doing whatever I could to try to hold my company.

They were a resident company full time and I loved them all dearly and they were like children, my family.

And so I did what I could to hold it together but in June of 2017 I said, "I have to stop, "I can't afford to produce anymore."

Because that's the difference, it's our nickel.

And I've said that to Abby, when there's a decision to be made, "girl it's your nickel."

(laughing in unison) - And you're thankful for that.

- Yes, and that makes a big difference.

One of the things that with a for-profit theater, we're the same as Broadway.

Now, on a of one to 10 we're a five and Broadway is a 25 but you have to be able to have people that sit in the seats and to play full to be able to pay your bills.

- Right.

- And that's for-profit theater.

And when you are a producer, which is very rare.

Chaunce and Don Zillmer, the two names that I am certainly very familiar with in my life.

They were producers that put their own money and house on the line and I did it for 20 years and now we've given that wonderful mantra over to Abby here.

- Yeah, and so you had some challenges because you had to tear down the old barn.

And we'll have some pictures of that.

- Yeah.

I mean, it was bowed out, as in-- - It never would have come down though.

That was one thing Chris, when they tore it down they had to claw it down, that barn would have stood forever.

But because of the mesocyclone and the micro bursts, the poles inside had twisted.

And so, the poles were all going different directions and the cost of it and probably Abby saved me-- - Well, we looked at renovating at first.

That was the first approach.

- Saving it?

- Was, can we fix it?

- Right.

- And it was actually more cost-effective to start fresh.

- Abby saved me in so many ways because if the insurance had come through at the time of the incident, I would have put it in and tried to save it and I wouldn't have been able to.

So the way that it worked out, really, was such a blessing for me.

- Right, and Abby you came up through the ranks, as I said before.

So you started with waiting tables and being on stage too.

- I did, I did.

So my dad introduced me to Mary Simon when I was about five years old.

And I like to joke that maybe he was prophetic, I am in no way Mary Simon but he introduced me to her as such and said, "Mary I want you to meet the next Mary Simon."

So I don't know what he was doing but he spoke something into existence that day and here we are.

And from there I got my first job, it was my freshman year of high school.

I was a busser for Mary and I bused tables for two years until I was really legally old enough to begin waiting tables.

And then I started waiting tables and then audition was in my first show, my senior year of high school.

And then I went on to study theater at Illinois Wesleyan University.

But then did take a very different path, changed my major altogether to sociology-psychology, got a master's degree in counseling.

(laughing) I went a different direction.

- That's very different.

Very, very different.

- And I tried to get her out there.

I can't tell you how many times I'd called her.

- She did.

- And when I'd call her, she'd say, "oh, I'm pregnant."

You go, "well, okay" and then next time you go, "no, I just had a child."

- It never worked out.

- "Okay", so, it never worked out.

- There were a lot of missed opportunities but I was on the back's offices shortlist.

So I was always who got drug in last minute if there was an emergency and somebody didn't show up.

I had my red vest in the car at all times in case I need it.

- Just in case, that's right.

- Yeah.

- You learned a lot and you are kind of a mini Mary.

But you two really worked together to-- - Well, we have different skillsets.

I mean, what Abby does at that new barn I could never do Chris.

I was theater centered, Abby has power over the whole barn which has every kind of event.

Proms, weddings and there are meetings.

All kinds of things that I would've never, ever been able to handle.

She has a completely different skillset that's much broader than mine.

Also, she's wonderful as far as with all the new technologies and everything, which again, I ignore.

(Abby laughing) And again, I think we compliment each other because we do have different skill sets and there's no reason that she can't do everything I did hands down but I could never do what Abby did.

- I'm finding as any new business owner, there are so many challenges and it takes time to establish yourself and learn what works and what doesn't.

And we're using a model but we're also adding a whole new business practice to it.

- Well, because you're an events center.

- Yeah.

We're multi-purpose.

- Also, you kinda dabbled in that before?

- Yeah, so again, my background working in higher education.

I ended up landing in higher education as a counselor and advisor professor.

But then on the side, I've never been satisfied with just one type of work, I needed to expand.

So I started running a wedding and special event business on the side with my mom and my husband.

And so for about seven years, eight years, until the barn we ran a linen and decor business literally out of my basement.

And because I worked in higher education it was flexible so I was able to pour in my creative work into that business in the summers and then I worked in higher education during the regular year.

- So, right brain and left brain, going the whole time.

- I suppose, yeah.

But that can get exhausting at times.

- It can be exhausting.

But I have noticed you're not one to sit still.

So full disclosure.

- No, I am not.

- I have worked with these ladies before, they've become my friends.

- And she's wonderful.

- Oh, thank you.

And I have learned how to fold napkins very well.

- That's right and hand towels - And hand towels.

- You do it all girl.

- Yes, yes, yes.

- I just can't get much better help.

But expanding into the event area now, you used to have a buffet and you can't really have a buffet now because of the time being what it is.

- Yeah, that is one big change Christine, moving into post 2020.

What we call at the barn, the great pause, so that is our tagline for that.

After the great pause, sort of initially in May and June when the closure started and we were definitely in lockdown.

My team really started brainstorming, how long is this going to last?

And if it's over quickly, is there gonna be a big stigma associated with buffets?

Because at the time-- - With gatherings, right?

- Yes, gatherings and buffet lines because at the time, I would say our health department was definitely saying, "not an option".

- Right.

- Not gonna work.

- They were in red alert.

- Yeah, we really wanted to get ahead of that and ahead of any stigmas that might be attached to it.

So we did take something that Mary has been doing well for 45 years and tried to revamp to a plated experience.

And we're really excited, we had already gained experience doing that for weddings.

So we knew we could do it.

But dinner theater is like a cruise ship dining experience.

You have 250 people who are coming all at the same time, roughly, and needed to be fed in a time amount so that the next thing can happen.

So that's been a big learning curve for us and that's our newest, most exciting thing post COVID.

Is that we are now offering a fully plated experience, we're bringing the buffet to the table literally, in many ways.

- And you had the Mother's Day show.

- Yes.

- And now the country review.

- We do.

- And people are enjoying that?

- Yes.

- Much better than getting up and helping themselves?

- We had amazing feedback from the Mother's Day show, that everyone loved being waited on, being taken care of.

And that was a value that Mary instilled in me, that was an important part of the barn.

Is that you come here so we can take care of you.

- Right.

- And this just gives us a little extra way we can take care of you.

You don't have to get up.

- Let us entertain you.

- Let us bring you all your food and we'll take good care of you, so.

- You also had to come up with creative ways last year.

Because the doors were closed, you still had bills to pay.

- Oh, yes.

- You had people on staff, so you had carry outs and you had special theme nights and things, tell me a little bit about that.

- Yeah, we did.

I mean, 2020 really walloped us, but we were resilient.

And we figured out new ways to be who we are in a way that was COVID friendly.

- And that's all Abby.

- The first couple months it was definitely curbside pickup and doing themed meals to support different groups or to honor all the weddings that were supposed to be happening that couldn't happen.

And then we transitioned into the light show.

Which was honestly, probably one of the most irresponsible, crazy decisions I could have ever made but probably the best one that I've ever.

- Why was it so irresponsible?

- I had to pull the trigger on that at a time when I believed it would do what I needed it to do for the business.

Which was to help our customers still feel connected.

- Right.

- Our whole community, everybody in society had felt disconnected for so long.

And that's what the barn is about, giving people a space to come together and be connected.

I needed to give folks, you can't go through Christmas without the barn.

(Abby and Christine laughing) And so, we needed to give them a way to do that.

But I had to make that call in August if I was gonna really try to do the light show the way that it needed to be done.

- And pray for weather.

- And pray for weather and pray that I could scramble together.

I had a little pot of money that I had just kinda set to be, this is my worst case scenario, right?

- A smart budget, okay.

- Worst case scenario pot.

And I had to dip into that a little bit to make that all happen.

And it was a big risk for me at the time 'cause I didn't know what was gonna happen.

But it was one of the best things we could've done.

- But then in your wisdom, you got people to sponsor you too.

- Yes, so we had wonderful sponsors, yeah.

- There were wonderful sponsors that sponsored the light show, so.

- That came along side us.

- You're just so in awe of your mini you.

- I am, I am.

- The show now, you're managing director.

- Grand Old Country, yes and I'm MC'ing it.

I love the company and it's so good to have the company working again.

I can't tell you, I love it.

And you're going to be with us this fall, which I'm so excited about.

Another full disclosure.

- Yeah.

- Yes, Is There Life After Fifty is a show-- - And I'm over 50, it's hard to believe but its okay.

- Then you can speak accurately to the show title.

- Wait, I'm flashing right now.

- But, I love the show and it's so much fun.

And we had it on the schedule for last year.

- It was supposed to happen last October.

- And it was selling really well and I'm so happy to put it back on again.

Now a whole year has gone by and have to check and make sure we're all still available.

- Healthy.

- And able to do a show, but I've got faith we're gonna make it and it should be a lot of fun.

We're looking forward to having you back.

- Good, well, other challenges that you have encountered just through the raising and then the raising and the rebuilding and you really haven't lost busloads of people coming?

- Oh , no, our customers have been so amazingly loyal, I'm so grateful.

And even during the great pause, a lot of businesses like mine were dealing with constant requests for refunds and demands for refunds.

And our customers were so gracious and are willing to say, "nope, I'll take the credit, I'll get you next year "when we can all be back again."

And that has been so wonderful because I couldn't have made it through if the alternative had happened, so that's been a huge blessing.

- Right, and you have, well, tour buses that come through.

- Yeah.

- Who is, or do you recall who is your most loyal longevity kind of customer?

Do you have somebody coming back after 30 years or plus?

- Oh, yes.

- Always, yes.

I have people come up to me all the time and say...

In fact, I had a woman, the Mother's Day show, hand me a program from 1979 that we had signed.

And that she had had it and found it.

What is Dorothy now, she's like 93.

- Yeap.

- And was out, no, they've been coming for as long as I've been there.

They've watched me turn into an older one woman.

(laughing in unison) - I can't tell you how many times I get the question, "how old is Mary really?"

And I say, "I don't know, I'm not at liberty to say, "I really don't know."

They think you haven't aged a bit, so.

- Oh well, that's wonderful but their are eyes getting bad that's the problem, so.

- The A Rail, I tell you what, table 11.

I mean, all those folks, they are there every opening week and they're like family.

- They are family.

- And I feel blessed that I've been able to sort of be adopted into that family and that they trust me to keep things.

- Well, we love them like family.

I mean, there are people that I have stayed in contact with.

And during this time where we've been down, where I have made visitations and things and you just go, they're like family, they really are.

Our audience, they're loyal, they're the salt of the earth, they're people that we've really come very close to.

- And the chicken is really good too.

- Of course.

- And they like the chicken, that's good.

- I mean, that keeps 'em coming back.

That and the beer cheese.

- And beer cheese.

- Yeah.

- And that's a change with the new barn.

- Yeah, that is a new change.

- For those people who may not have ever gone there or maybe went years ago and for whatever reason, moved away, came back, whatever.

- But there's a bar.

- Yes.

- Yes.

- We do have a full service bar now.

- Yes.

- And that was quite the challenge in the raising, a challenge that had been surmounted three times by Chaunce and Mary as well.

- Yes.

- And I think it was just time was right in the community but a referendum had to be passed for that to be allowed.

- Because it's a dry county?

- No, just Goodfield.

- Just Goodfield, all right.

- Goodfield is a dry township.

- Since Roosevelt, President Roosevelt.

- Its a dry township.

- We learned a lot about history and legality in that.

Every town that serves alcohol has had to go through a referendum of some type to be allowed to do that.

And there's only a handful that still haven't and Goodfield was one of them.

So, there are only two license available, me and the gas station, so.

- All right.

- Yes.

- Well, you're a good company.

(Abby laughing) - We are.

- And for some people who may not know, now, the actors wait tables?

- Yes.

- And you also have other staff that wait tables.

- Yeah.

- So will they take orders, if you don't want the roast beef or the prime rib?

- Yeah, basically, all of the buffet line that you would have had is in some way shape or form brought to your table throughout the night.

And you can request the things that you would want the most of.

We also have moved to an unlimited bucket of fried chicken.

So the Barn III fried chicken was of course a favorite but folks only went through the buffet line once.

Well now, when your entree is served we bring you a bucket of fried chicken on your table that is constantly refilled.

So we have the unlimited bucket of fried fried chicken, we now have unlimited beer, cheese, and crackers.

Which before, again, you got your one little thing and then that was it and then you had to pay for more.

And that's a favorite, so that is just keeps coming out.

And then we also have an unlimited bread basket that has some of our new breads that Kris chef has created himself.

We have an amazing bacon corn bread that is a house kind of secret recipe of Kris's that's top-notch.

As well as our popular Parmesan rolls and then biscuits and other good stuff.

So, there's some of these unlimited options that keep coming out to your table and then you get to select your entrees and your sides.

And the cool thing is, is that by expanding into being a cross purpose venue we really developed our menu in new directions.

So our special event menu for weddings is just out of control, that fettuccine Alfredo, I mean, it is to die for and the pork loin.

So there are new entrees that we serve for our wedding guests that people just rave about that really weren't ever included in the buffet line because it wasn't something that necessarily worked well on a buffet line.

But now we can offer our customers some more variety.

- You've got the know-how.

- And some more diversity in that menu.

And some new taste, we have a gluten-free menu, we have a vegan menu, we have a vegetarian menu.

So we're adapting and trying to evolve with the times to ensure that all of those foodies are getting what they want and that dinner theater experience as well.

- And Mary, you're put to work, other than managing director you're also put to work helping set up tables for weddings and events.

- She is my top decorator.

(Abby laughing) - I love to do it, I love to do it.

- I mean, Abby comes in and again, as a wedding venue you don't get treated this way anywhere else, we will do it all for you.

And we do, so you don't have to worry about anything.

You just come.

All you have to do is show up.

- You show up and get ready.

- Show up and get ready and party up in the honeymoon suite the whole afternoon before the wedding if you'd like.

But we set up everything.

So Abby will say, "here's the arrangement on this table, "here's another arrangement on this table, "here are the linens, they want this and this "and this and that and there's like five handouts "and there you go."

And I fill up the room.

- Mary is on her way.

- And there's an elevator here.

- There is.

- So that makes your job a little easier too.

- Yes.

- You can carry that stuff up and down with you.

- We got the rolling carts.

- Well, it's great.

Yes, it's great, the rolling carts and did the elevator with all the silverware and everything it's great to get up the stairs, so yes.

- We have put wheels on virtually anything that needs to move at the barn.

- Everything.

- And not that that a woman can't do it, I'm the first one to channel Rosie the Riveter, but we are a female run barn.

We have one full-time male on staff.

(Abby laughing) - That's it, yeah.

- And other than that, it is all ladies.

So we have gotten very creative about how we move stuff around and need to move stuff around, heavy things and stuff like that.

So everything is on wheels.

- But I love doing it.

It's a part of, I think, my anal personality to take care of it.

- That's great, shes my best decorator by far, yeah.

- Well, you know what, it's nice to know that you can depend on somebody and not have to go and shmooch it up a little bit more.

- I know, I know, you have no idea.

- Right.

- It does, it makes a difference.

- So you two have been friends for a long, long time.

- We have.

- I'd say, pedestal, admirerer for a long, long time.

- No, no, no.

- She been someone that I've looked up to my entire life and so it's really an amazing privilege and I still wake up several mornings a week saying, "what have I done, how did this even happen, "I can't believe I'm doing this."

- Mary probably thinks that too.

- I know, I'm sure she does.

- It's like, what has she done?

- And I feel so blessed to still be a part of it, to still be able to work, to still be with my barn family and company and have them evolve into Abby's barn family and company and to have the audience embrace the new barn and Abby.

That's my goal, if I can transition, if I can help with the transition and then slide out, maybe five, six, 10 years from now.

Depending on how the old bod holds up.

- Well, what is your greatest hope other than that for the future of the barn?

- I'm processing that a lot right now.

After the great pause, there's just so many new obstacles to surmount.

We went for an entire year, we lost 90% of our income last year and we had just only had one year under our belt.

- 90%?

- Yes.

- Yeah.

- Wow.

- So as a new business, there's a lot of recovery that has to happen this year.

So I think as I think about the future, honestly the next year or two are stability.

I need to regain stability as a business.

And then from there, I think I really look forward to continuing to solidify my team, the company, auditioning some new members of the company, starting to bring on some new folks.

And that's a big step.

- Undertaking, exactly.

- Yeah, that's a big step finding the right people.

We're not a community theater where you do show for a week, we do a show for six weeks.

- You're professional, right.

- And so finding folks who wanna commit to that is important and beginning to grow that a bit.

And then learning how to be a cross purpose venue to the best of our ability in a way that continues to keep our priorities at the very top.

Which is definitely customer service.

- Yeah.

- And being a place to where our community feels that they come and celebrate.

So I guess just adapting and really solidifying our identity as this new barn.

- Right.

- That's it.

- Well, because it still is fairly new.

So you have the country show now.

- Yes.

- Grand Old Country tribute, it's a history of the grand old Opry.

- Okay.

- I love the show, I love it.

And Julie Seeley is with us and all of the Plaids, all of our boys, Chad and Pat and Dan and Dave.

And it's a great company and the show is wonderful, a wonderful addition to what I think people enjoy.

And then of course the summer show or the fall show, which is, Is There Life After Fifty.

- And then our Christmas show.

- The Christmas show, yeah.

- And that's focused on some of the most famous Christmas movies of all time.

So it's gonna be a fun walk down memory lane as it relates to your favorite Christmas movies, so.

- And we're looking at 2022, we should have that.

- Solidified.

- It's so close.

- Yeah.

- It's so close.

- It's coming.

- All right, well, we'll keep our fingers crossed that we have sellouts every night.

- Yes.

(Abby laughing) - How's that?

Another opening.

- Yes.

- Well, thank you ladies for coming to share.

They're friends of mine, again.

- Yes, we love you.

- I get to act with them and it's so much fun.

- Can't wait to see you in October.

- And thank you.

- It should be fun.

- And we're gonna get that Barn III on the books, out of that pause.

- That's right.

- You know what, if the good Lord's willing and the creek don't rise.

- And the creek don't rise.

Thanks lady.

All right, thank you for joining us on Consider This and you enjoy your day.

(upbeat music)