photo by: Emma Delk

Rachel’s On 16th owner Rachel Alvarado stands outside the downtown Wheeling restaurant. After six months, she described returning to the building as “coming home.”

Rachel’s On 16th owner Rachel Alvarado described returning to the original 16th Street location as “picking up right where we left off” during the restaurant’s grand reopening.

The move stems from her husband Jeramie Alvarado’s restaurant, Carlito’s Soul Kitchen, closing due to construction on Main Street that led to low traffic in the area. Six months before the shutdown, Rachel’s had combined their business with Carlito’s, serving their dishes from the same kitchen.

“We went over to Carlito’s because a lot of our customers were saying that we needed a bigger space and would love to have dinner along with the breakfast and lunch we serve,” said Alvarado. “But we got there, and it was kind of out of the way versus where we were at Rachel’s, plus all of the construction created problems.”

Alvarado hopes that Rachel’s will be able to thrive back in East Wheeling, describing the location as “right on the outskirts” of the construction and hubbub downtown. She added that the location allows for more foot traffic, having already gotten a couple of call-in lunch orders from businesses within walking distance on opening day.

“You never really want to have to close your doors at any given time, no matter if you’re moving or it just wasn’t working out,” said Alvarado. “The move back here to Rachel’s just felt like it was the best thing to do.”

While closing Carlito’s was “bittersweet” for Alvarado, she feels “more sweet than bitter” being back open at the original location.

As she restocked the restaurant last weekend, Alvarado recounted getting a “warm, cozy feeling” that she had been missing since the move to Carlito’s. For her, this feeling confirmed she had made the right decision.

Apart from restocking, Alvarado outlined that before reopening, “pretty much everything just needed dusting off.” Rachel’s also had to go through “the whole process with the health department again,” which Alvarado said took very little time.

“Everything was still here — tables, chairs, silverware,” she said. “We just had to bring the hard work and food, and that was about it.”

Traces of Carlito’s will be present at Rachel’s. Two or three of the bestseller dishes at the former restaurant, which Alvarado is able to “best execute in the smaller kitchen,” were put on the menu.

After moving back into the original space, the hurdles of needing more room and extended dinner hours that influenced Rachel’s move into Carlito’s Soul Kitchen are not seen as obstacles for Alvarado anymore.

While Rachel’s original building is notably smaller than Carlito’s Soul Kitchen, Alvarado described the cozy atmosphere of the restaurant as “that small diner feel that everybody loves.”

“It reminds me of old shows like ‘Cheers,’ where you come into the place, and everyone knows your name,” added Alvarado.

Not being open for dinner may seem like a lost business opportunity for some restaurateurs, but Alvarado is satisfied that she is able to spend more time with her family in the evenings.

“Being closed for dinner is a lot easier for everybody because we have four little ones,” said Alvarado. “We don’t have to miss out on dance recitals, competitions or sports events.”

Alvarado also recognized her waitstaff, who have “little ones” as well. She noted that working closely alongside them on top of recognizing their own needs as parents allowed Rachel’s to keep a “cozy and welcoming” atmosphere.

Only an hour into the reopening, Alvarado was already thrilled with the response from the community. Despite cold temperatures and the holiday, a line of 15 customers greeted her at 8 a.m. on Tuesday.

“It was like we were never closed, and we just went on a little six-month vacation,” said Alvarado. “And now that the vacation is over, the customers are excited waiting outside our door, and it makes me excited.”

Alvarado also gave a shout-out to the wave of support the restaurant received on social media when they announced their re-opening. She described the over 300 people who interacted with their “Coming Back” post as “overwhelming but in a good way.”

“It was just like, ‘Oh my gosh, everybody really does miss us,'” she said. “It touched me, and made me feel really special that everyone was ready to support us when we picked back up.”