New signage has appeared at the site of the former Hunan Chinese Restaurant announcing that 1101 Wabash Ave. will soon be home to Moroleon Tropical Mexican Restaurant. Owner Salvador Lopez opened Taqueria Moroleon at 1101 S. Ninth St. in 2016 and says this will be a second location with a slightly different concept.
“It will be a little different menu,” he said, explaining that while Moroleon Tropical will still offer tacos, the additional space will allow for an expanded menu, including seafood items. While Hunan was known for its lunch buffet, Lopez said Moroleon Tropical is a sit-down dining concept. He’s been working on remodeling the interior, including paint and flooring and redoing the bar area. Lopez said he plans to hire new employees to staff the second location, but isn’t sure at this point when he’ll be ready to open.
Earlier this month, new signage was also installed at his current location on Ninth Street, which previously displayed the iconic Sonrise Donuts sign long after the coffee shop itself closed. The sign was sold at an online auction earlier this year to the City of Springfield, which plans to restore it and use it as a Route 66 promotion.
