A beloved restaurant on West Main Street in Galesburg is preparing to serve its final tenderloin and cheeseburger.
Gray’s Sandwich Shop, 1160 W. Main St., announced this week that it will close permanently at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 23, following more than four decades in business. The family-owned eatery, known for its hand-breaded pork tenderloins, cheeseburgers and made-to-order meals, expressed gratitude to the community for 41 years of support.
Owner Keith Gray spoke with WGIL on Thursday about the decision to shut down operations earlier than anticipated. Gray had planned to retire at the end of 2026, but economic challenges prompted the move.
“I was really planning on retiring and shutting down next year anyway, but with economic conditions this year, the up and down and extreme stress on the power bills and everything else for not just for me, but for everybody, there’s been a lot of decline in revenue,” Gray said. “Just not really wanting to trust the economic future going forward here another year.”
The closure comes amid ongoing struggles for small restaurants, with Gray noting a significant drop in customer spending since the COVID-19 pandemic altered dining habits.
“It wasn’t an easy decision. We’ve been here for 41 years now,” he said. “With the declining revenues over the past several years ever since the pandemic, that’s really put a big hit into the way restaurant dining is done and the way people are actually spending money at restaurants. It just isn’t the same as it was before that.”
Gray’s has roots dating back to 1984, when it was opened by Gray’s parents, Connie and Harry Gray. The building started out as a gas station in the 1940s, and from 1959 to 1979, Chet and Ila Algren operated C&I Sandwich Shop before it changed hands a few times. The Grays took over and maintained traditions like the signature tenderloins, which originated from the previous owners.
Gray worked at the shop in its early years alongside his brother before pursuing another career. He returned in 2010 after his parents retired, assuming ownership to keep the business alive. Under his leadership, the menu evolved slightly with some new additions, while core offerings remained consistent.
That reliability, Gray said, has been central to the shop’s longevity.
“I think just the consistency in doing the same, trying to do the same thing. Put out the same product all the time. That was the biggest thing, I believe,” he said. “When you keep going someplace and everything you get is always different, it’s hard for people to get attuned to it and keep coming back in. They don’t know what you’re going to get.”
The tenderloins, a staple that once dominated sales, are prepared fresh daily without freezing and use a meat cuber instead of pounding to preserve texture. While still popular—the shop has sold hundreds of thousands over the years—Gray revealed that cheeseburgers have recently become the top seller.
As the final weeks approach, Gray anticipates a potential surge in visitors.
“I think it probably will now that it’s been posted that we’re actually going to go ahead and shut down at the end of the year,” he said. “I think we’ll probably pick up some. There’s always the worry when you do something like that: OK, are you gonna get really slammed or is everybody just gonna disappear?”
Reflecting on his time at the helm, Gray said he’ll miss the connections most.
“Mostly the people, I think. We met a lot of great people over the years, and well, I think we’ll miss those more than anything,” he said. “After a while, it gets to be a grind coming in here and doing the same thing every day for years.”
The announcement, shared via a festive graphic on the shop’s website, has started drawing initial reactions from the community, with locals expressing sadness over the closure while acknowledging the well-earned retirement.
For now, the shop remains open, inviting patrons to stop in for one last meal before the doors close permanently on Dec. 23.
