Fischer’s owners list site for $940K

The owners of the closed Fischer’s Restaurant in Belleville have enlisted the help of a commercial real estate firm to sell the iconic restaurant site for $940,000.

Annette Allan and Kathy Bingheim, daughters of the late owner Kenny Fischer, had put the property on the auction block in March, but they did not accept an $800,000 bid. They couldn’t work out a deal and haven’t identified the bidder.

Allan and Bingheim have now contracted with Shiloh-based BarberMurphy Group to sell the 31,000-square-foot building.

“We’re hoping that someone would like to buy it and open it up as a restaurant,” Allan said. “A lot of people in Belleville would love to see that happen.”

Fischer’s closed in February after decades of entertaining metro-east residents at 2100 W. Main St. Longtime patrons and employees were saddened to see the landmark restaurant shut down. Bingheim said their longtime regular customers and employees are “like our family.”

Matt Barriger, a broker with BarberMurphy Group, said he expects the Fischer’s listing to generate a lot of interest.

The kitchen, dining room and banquet hall are all ready for business, he said.

“It’s a good property,” Barriger said. “It’s like they closed yesterday.

“Once you get in here with nobody in here and start walking around, you realize how big this place actually is,” Barriger said.

“You just don’t see that large of a kitchen in most restaurants.”

Barriger described the restaurant as a “turn-key” operation but that a new owner would probably need to do some updates.

All of the furniture, fixtures and equipment are included in the sales price. The three-acre site has 200 parking spots; multiple dining rooms can seat 250; and the banquet hall can seat 700.

Barriger said 10,500 vehicles pass by the building each day.

BarberMurphy reports it lists more than 500 properties in 24 Southern Illinois counties. Call 618-277-4400 for more information.

On Wednesday morning, Allan and Bingheim began a four-day estate sale that included Fischer’s Restaurant items such as dishes and decorations. The sale is being conducted at Albert’s Convention Center, which the Fischer family purchased about 25 years ago. The center is at 1210 Centreville Ave. in Belleville, and the sale is scheduled to run 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day through Saturday.

The sale is billed as a chance to order “your last taste” of Fischer’s pizza and fried chicken.

This story was originally published April 26, 2017 at 5:06 PM with the headline "Fischer’s owners list site for $940K."