PEORIA MAGAZINE October 2023

DISH AND DRINK

‘A CHURCH FOR GOOD TIMES AND GOOD FOOD’ In Obed & Isaac’s, Springfield’s Conn family converted a Peoria church into a destination brewery and eatery

BY LISA COON PHOTOS BY RON JOHNSON

K aren and Court Conn were on what they call a “recon mission” in the late summer of 2015 when they came to Peoria from their home in Springfield looking for their next new opportunity. The Conns had already toured Down town Peoria and the Warehouse District with Chris Setti, CEO of the Greater Peoria Economic Development Council, and Mark Misselhorn, architect and chairman of the Downtown Advisory

Commission, looking for the perfect spot for their next restaurant project. But it was on their own recon mission when the couple came across the former Second Presbyterian Church at the corner of Madison and Spalding (formerly Jackson) avenues. “It was such a cool building,” said Karen Conn, who recalls her husband commenting at the time, “Too bad it’s not for sale.” Unbeknownst to the Conns, the “for sale” sign had fallen down.

Karen couldn’t get thoughts of the building out of her mind. After returning home, she began a thorough internet search and found that the building was indeed on the market. The couple connected with a real estate agent and returned to Peoria. “After we walked through it, I just fell in love,” said Karen of the structure that would become the family’s second Obed & Isaac’s Microbrewery and Eatery.

14 OCTOBER 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE