The Packinghouse Dining Company is housed in an authentic turn-of-the-century meat packing plant which was constructed by Swift & Company. It is located in downtown Galesburg in the old commercial district which was once a center for meat, produce and grocery wholesalers and distributors. Pictured left is the grand opening ceremony in 1912. A horse drawn delivery wagon can be seen in the left of the photo in the area that is now the entrance to the restaurant. Originally there was a stable for horses in this area. Until 1926, when the first trucks were introduced, Swift & Company made all of its deliveries by horse drawn wagons, serving butcher shops, restaurants and institutions up to fifty miles away. The building was used by Swift & Company until the Galesburg operation was discontinued in 1976.

The Packinghouse Dining Company obtained the building in 1978 and converted it to a restaurant operation, opening in March 1979. During the renovation an effort was made to retain much of original interior. The main dining room was a large walk-in cooler and the original overhead refrigeration lines and meat rails have been preserved. The old freight elevator by the entrance now serves as a coat room. The cooler doors, large scale and refrigeration gauges are authentic. The blackboard titled "High Voltage Club" located in the northeast corner of the dining room was used to record sales performance.

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