What's old is new and what's new was once old. Often times throughout the years, history has a way of bringing itself up again.
The McMillan building is a building that has stood the test of time, even though it has undergone many changes. The building, located at the corner of Lillie and 1st Street in Madill, has been a fixture for over 100 years.
The current owner of the building, Robert Jackson, said he found that there was a need for a new and unique space in Madill. Jackson is using this building to create that space.
Jackson's love of antique cars is going to be the main fixture on display at his new project; the future restaurant and lounge known as Southern Coach Works.
The McMillen building is coming full circle in more than just one way as it was once a restaurant and a car dealership. Jackson said he plans on taking the building back to its original roots.
“Basically we are taking it back to where it started, so we've got the 18 foot ceilings that we are exposing and we are trying to save the original floors,' Jackson said. 'A lot of the 1960’s construction that the people remember when they were kids is not the original. This building was the hub in Marshall County when it was first built.'
'It was really the only building that was built at that time that was meant to be multi- purpose,' he continued. 'All the other buildings on the Square were a drugstore or particular store; this one was actually made to be a whole bunch of things. It was a grocery store, a Chevrolet dealership, at some point in time a doctor's office, and even the regional grand jury was there. There was a restaurant down in the basement with about six pool tables.”
Jackson will be marrying two of those concepts into one unique idea with a laid-back atmosphere. Jackson will be creating a space to display his antique car and motorcycle collection and wants to bring the building back to the original fixtures and flooring.
There will be a restaurant and a bar for guests to relax and enjoy the restored building. Jackson will also be restoring the original outside stairs leading into the basement of the building.
Jackson said the idea came about when he realized there wasn't much to do in town when clients would come to his car shop/museum.
“I have a lot of people flying in to look at my cars. I have people fly in on private jets to look at cars. Jackson said. 'I go pick them up at Gene Autry or they drive in from Dallas to come here.' ' The issue that I had was my showroom is nice and all but it's small and I don't have a conference room and after we start looking at cars and discussing we have to go to a restaurant to discuss so I'm just trying to up the level of that to have a nice classy place to have them,' he continued. 'That way, when people come in and visit they don't have to rush off and go somewhere else.”
Jackson said that his plans will be in stages and is working with the city to have patio seating. Hoping to keep the feel of an old school speakeasy, Jackson said that even though the venue space is large, he is wanting to keep it small; allowing room to display cars and motorcycles on a rotation without having to rope them off.
“Even though we have a big venue, we are keeping it under 60 people, because I don't plan on putting ropes around the cars,' he explained. 'The cars are going to be spread out and it's going to be more like a museum type thing with leather couches and seating all around so you can set amongst the cars.”
Southern Coach Works is set to open late summer or early fall of 2024.