The silos that have sat vacant near Chestnut Expressway and National Avenue for more than 50 years will be part of a new restaurant and retail development called Sisters Mill. City Council on May 20 approved the Sisters Mill Redevelopment Plan, which includes a two-story 4,603 square foot indoor/outdoor casual dining restaurant called The Table with accompanying retail shop and green space. Sheri Perkins and Renee Textor, who grew up in Springfield, are the sisters behind the project and are planning a fall 2025 opening.
The property, which has commonly been referred to as the Springfield Flour Mill, has a colorful history. According to the Springfield-Greene County Library, the mill was built in 1901 by John F. Meyer & Sons Milling Company, which also owned Queen City Milling near Boonville Avenue and Phelps Street. The Meyers called the mill Model Mills and it produced Model Flour until 1935. At some point, Jack Blair purchased the mill from the Meyers, but retained the Model Mills name.
When operating, the mill produced more than 3,000 box car loads of flour each year at the rate of 35,000 pounds of flour each day. Seven thousand bushels of wheat went through its milling processes every 24 hours. The flour was shipped to various parts of the globe, including France, England, Germany and South America.
The property changed hands at least three times over the years. Colorado Milling and Elevator Company acquired the mill in 1935 from Blair’s estate after he died. MFA Milling Company purchased the mill in 1951 for feed manufacturing and storage. At some point in the early 1970s, MFA ceased production there and sold the property.