On New Years Eve, 1945 Joe Rogers and his wife Pauline, opened a little diner on South Grand Avenue in Springfield Illinois. "The Den" Chili Parlor was a cozy place with barely enough room for the kitchen and 11 stools at the counter. The Rogers family, (even their grandchildren) worked at the Chili Parlor over the years right up to July 15, 1973, when their daughter, Marianne Rogers, purchased the diner. 

Marianne eventually moved the chili parlor from the original location on South Grand Avenue to it's present location at 820 South Ninth Street. The business has changed hands a couple of times since the 80's but the original recipe chili has remained a family owned secret.

Whether you like it mild, a touch of hot, medium-hot, hot, firebrand, regular meat or extra meat, regular beans or no beans at all, regular oil, light oil or for those who really like their oil (extra oil), your bowl of chili is not prepared until it is ordered.

Our hand lettered sign (circa 1945) was located on S. Grand between 11th St. and 13th St.