Hagel 1891 to Close Next Month; Jerseys Bar & Grill Will Open in Mt. Sterling
Jerseys will move into the restaurant space currently occupied by Hagel in March
MT. STERLING, IL (January 14, 2025) – Hagel 1891, Mt. Sterling’s contemporary American cuisine restaurant, will permanently close its doors on Saturday, February 22, 2025.
“It has been a wonderful ten years serving our community at Hagel 1891,” said Dick Tracy, CEO of Dot Foods, which owns and operates the restaurant. “We opened Hagel in 2014, after years of community requests for another high-quality restaurant option in Uptown Mt. Sterling. We remain dedicated to that commitment to the community. That’s why we’ve entered into an agreement with a great local restaurant operator to take over the space.”
Jerseys Bar and Grill will move into the restaurant space at 115 E Main Street and open its Mt. Sterling location just a few weeks after Hagel’s closing, on March 17, 2025. James and Ashley Barnett and Ben Schultz opened the original Jerseys location in Camp Point, Illinois, in 2021, and it quickly became a favorite in the region. The Jerseys team will serve its existing menu at the new Mt. Sterling location, with the addition of a few Hagel favorites.
“We are thrilled to join the Mt. Sterling community,” said James Barnett. “The location along E Main puts us right in the heart of town, which is exactly where we want to be. We’re known in Camp Point for our great food and drinks and look forward to bringing both to Mt. Sterling and becoming Brown County’s new hometown sports bar.”
Hagel’s last day of operations will be Saturday, February 22. Jerseys will open on March 17, just in time for March Madness. Current Hagel employees have the option of joining the Jerseys team or applying for another role with Dot Foods.
Hagel gift certificates can be redeemed through February 22. Hagel will continue to offer large group events through February 15. Any event scheduled after February 15, 2025, will be cancelled. Hagel staff is connecting with those who have events booked after that date to notify them of this change. Jerseys may re-open the banquet space in the future, but Barnett says his team plans to focus on a successful launch of the restaurant for now.
“I am so grateful to our Hagel team for all their work over the years,” Tracy said. “They created the type of menu, service, and ambiance we set out to achieve. We were unfortunately not able to make that vision for the restaurant profitable. We operated Hagel at a loss since it opened, and that is not sustainable. We’ve been looking for a partner who can successfully run a restaurant while meeting the needs of our community for some time, and we believe we’ve found that in Jerseys.”
“Hagel was created out of the Tracy family’s love of their community and the desire to give their neighbors another place to come together and enjoy a great meal. That’s exactly how the idea of Jerseys was born,” explained Barnett. “Our menu offering is different, but we share that same commitment to the community. The Mt. Sterling restaurant will feature a lot of Brown County sports memorabilia, and we’ve had a great time planning a space that you’ll be excited to bring your family to, stop by to grab some lunch in the middle of your work day, or come hang out at to catch the game.”
Jerseys Bar and Grill will be open Monday – Saturday at the Mt. Sterling location, serving lunch Monday – Friday from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Evening hours are as follows:
Monday and Tuesday from 4 – 9 p.m.
Wednesday and Thursday from 4 – 11 p.m., kitchen closes at 9 p.m.
Friday and Saturday 4-midnight, kitchen closes at 9 p.m.
“Thank you so much to the leadership and employees at Hagel for a job well done,” Tracy said. “And a huge thank you to everyone who dined at Hagel in the last decade. We appreciate your patronage and hope you will give Jerseys a warm welcome to Mt. Sterling in March.”
About Hagel 1891
Opened in October 2014 in Uptown Mt. Sterling, Hagel 1891 is a one-of-a-kind restaurant featuring an upscale American food menu and a full bar. The bar serves California and local wines, premium liquors, and draft and bottled beers. Hagel 1891 is located next to Dorothy’s Market in the historic Hagel Building. Brothers Joseph and William Hagel constructed the building as a hardware and furniture store in 1891.
About Jerseys Bar & Grill
Jerseys Bar & Grill started in May of 2021 in Camp Point, Illinois, to provide the community with their very own hometown sports bar. Specializing in locally sourced smash burgers, handmade appetizers and entrees, signature cocktails, and a craft beer selection second to none, Jerseys takes pride in their local community and local athletic teams by displaying athletic uniforms along with award-winning team pictures! Jerseys truly is Your Hometown Sports Bar!
Contact for Hagel
Emily Waterman
(636) 449-3626
emily.waterman@dotfoods.com
Contact for Jerseys
James Barnett
(217) 779-9718
jerseysbar20@gmail.com