The owner of a Trafalgar restaurant had a lightbulb moment when he saw that a 67,000-square-foot vacant school building was for sale.
James Lochard, the head chef and owner of Southern Comfort Café and Brick Oven, saw not just an opportunity to move his business into a larger space, but a chance to literally move in.
The former Indian Creek Elementary School building in downtown Trafalgar had been vacant since 2016, and the amount of space that would come from purchasing the building could easily house an entire family, as well as his business, he said.
“I’ve got five kids, there’s six classrooms and a library,” Lochard said. “I wanted to turn the library into a dining room, a kitchen and a living room. All the kids and myself could have bedrooms and our little kid could have a playroom.”
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The previous owner wanted whoever bought the former school to keep it largely intact. He also wanted to sell to someone local, Lochard said.
“I talked to the owner and he’s had multiple offers. Everyone wanted to come in and tear it down or do a storage facility,” Lochard said. “He wouldn’t speak to anyone unless they keep it in the community, keep it local. I told him, ‘I’ve been in the community five years. I do everything for the schools and I cater.’ Five minutes later he called and said I shot up straight to the top of the list.”
Lochard bought the restaurant in September, and put about $80,000 worth of renovations into the gymnasium, cafeteria and second floor, which is now the family’s living quarters. Southern Comfort opened its doors to customers Jan. 18 at the new location, he said.
Facing the school from Pearl Street, restaurant-goers can enter from the left door and sit at one of several tables set up in what used to be the school’s cafeteria. Venture further on the building’s first floor and they’ll find the gymnasium. The original hardwood floor is unchanged, and Lochard intends to keep it that way. He has a vision for the space, though, and sees weddings, concerts and other events in its future, Lochard said.
“The gym was built in 1939; the gym and that floor has survived all that,” Lochard said. “Joe Dee Hart was the principal here. His wife Nancy was a teacher here. They can come in here and relive some of the best times of their lives.”
In January, Lochard hosted a Cornhole tournament in the gym, and 200 people attended, he said.
The food is almost the same as what people ate when the restaurant was on State Road 135. The extra space, however, means the restaurant can store more food and serve breakfast all day. At its former location, Lochard had to cut off breakfast at 11 a.m., he said.
Some of its most popular dishes include its brick-oven pizza, beef Manhattans and tenderloins. Steak is a new addition to the menu. All the food is made from scratch, Lochard said.
“We have the best tenderloins. I’ll put them against anyone’s,” Lochard said. “Our brick-oven pizza is amazing. Our beef Manhattans, those are bestsellers. We have the best breakfast. Everything is made from scratch. We freeze nothing.”
As for the rest of the school building, which for now sits empty, Lochard hopes other businesses want to come in and make the school a thriving marketplace. He plans to open an antique shop in the main hallway, he said.
“There are classrooms available for smaller groups,” Lochard said. “A health and wellness group is coming in a couple of weeks. We have office space for insurance agents. We also have a full wing that’s perfect for a Montessori school or daycare.”
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Businesses who want to open a space in the former Indian Creek Elementary School can contact James Lochard at 317-395-6433
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