LICK CREEK - The walls of the Lick Creek General Store say a lot about love.

From a quick scan of the restaurant's walls, one can learn that people out there have a special place in their hearts for Lance and Anthony, and that Ivan and Denzel share a love for Lillian.

But talking to patrons and employees, past and present, shows several different kinds of love - love for the business, love for friends, love for Lick Creek and love for Southern Illinois.

"Southern Illinois is the greatest place in the universe," said Nick Rion, who owned the restaurant from 1995 until 2005, when he sold it and moved to the Northwest. "If you live here, don't leave. It's a garden of the gods - literally."

Rion, who returned to Southern Illinois about a year ago, returned to his old business Friday for a special celebration honoring the 70th anniversary of the building his grandparents opened as an actual general store in July of 1938.

But Rion didn't come alone - he brought with him a staff and patrons who took control of the restaurant for a special one-night stand.

One of those former employees coming back was Tommy Tucker, who took control of the kitchen, serving up a seven-course meal.

Tucker, currently a sous chef at Wineaux's Restaurant in Belknap, trained under Rion from 1997 until 2001. He, along with Pulaski County State's Attorney Grayson Gile, planned the event to help out their longtime friend Rion.

"I missed them," Tucker said of the employees and patrons who would soon be arriving at the event. "A lot of them that are coming were fun ones, and that's who we thought would be the first ones to respond."

Tom Austin, an attorney living near Goreville, recalled the first time he and his wife visited the restaurant in August of 1996. The décor of the restaurant took them by surprise - tablecloths were made from newspapers, all different types of chairs lined the tables and no plates or silverware in the kitchen matched.

But it wasn't the setting it kept the couple coming back, it was the attitude and the feel of the restaurant that "was like Mardi Gras every weekend, except without the fights," Austin said.

Two other longtime patrons returning for the celebration were Sean Bozorgzad and his wife Kelly Evans of Herrin. Bozorgzad referred to the restaurant as "low-key with a lot of spirit," a spirit he said belongs to all of Southern Illinois - a down-home feel of friendship and compassion.

Austin recalled a story that perfectly described Rion's attitude and focus on Southern Illinois and not being caught up in the scheme of bigger things. While on a road trip home from Memphis, the Chicago Bulls stopped at the restaurant for dinner.

Several of the players, including Scottie Pippen, left behind jerseys as thank you gifts to their chef. Most of the jerseys probably wound up in the dumpster, Austin said.

"He didn't know who those guys were," he said. "He didn't know their significance."

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