MOST MISSED CLOSED BUSINESS

Caitie Girl’s

A year after Aubrey Caitie Barker died in a traffic accident, we still miss horseshoes made with jalepeno corn bread and barbecued pork added to macaroni and cheese. Her namesake restaurant in downtown Springfield was one of a kind, and when those sorts of places disappear, they are not easily replaced. From the beginning, Caitie Girl’s had been a favorite with Best of Springfield voters, winning in such categories as best original menu, best chef and best-kept secret. Barker was an inspiration, a woman with no business experience who launched her restaurant on a shoestring on the cusp of an economic recession in a downtown that has seen better days.

Now, there are only memories, and those will be as hard to forget as Barker herself.

Runner-up: Chick-Fil-A