Remembering "McDowell's"

From [at the ruins of mcdowell's restaurant] by Matthew Kremer:

in terms of loss, i suppose
that wendy's was the only
'landmark' proper in elmhurst
to speak of
outside of the old elks lodge.
it made me weirdly happy
to know it was there
when i made the move
down this way.
i made it a point
to walk past it when
i first arrived
even though it was ninety
degrees and i was hungover.
some little site for the fancy
to have a cheap thrill.
they say a luxury condo
will be up by summer's end.
one of those ones that has
the nerve to charge three grand
for a two-bedroom apartment
mary's friend at the end
of the bar proclaims.
in f*cking elmhurst!