Reading has received a third Miracle. Miracle Cafe, that is.
First, the area residents needed a place to eat. The Reading Community Development Inc. organization was formed. A location was identified. Those who had skills did the remodeling. Others with skills did the decorating. Vintage dining sets were donated — dishes, glassware, tableware — and miracle after miracle, a cafe was born in the oldest building in Reading, a house built in 1870, back in Reading’s big railroad days. Native daughter Cynthia Price Wilson was in charge.
After several years, Price needed to relocate for family reasons and someone was going to have to take up the reigns or the cafe would close. Reta Jackson answered the call.
“The opportunity came along and it was in Reading and I’m a people person and I’m a ‘Feeder.’ I love cooking for people,” Jackson said in an interview March 30, 2011.
Then May 21 came and went. So did most of Reading in a fearsome tornado. The Cafe was heavily damaged, but not wiped clean, like so many other residences in this tiny town of just over 200 people.
Reading has had many opportunities these past six months to roll over and die, but it hasn’t. Despite competition for resources and attention from subsequent disasters in Missouri and Alabama, Reading has plugged along, saving it’s grain elevator and bank, landing a gasoline station from S & S, fighting like mad for its post office, and on Monday, celebrating the return of The Miracle Cafe.
A true miracle.
“I new we had to keep it,” Jackson said. “It’s just too much to lose.”
As many materials as possible were salvaged from the old house, including woodwork and a built-in china cabinet. The plot was razed and Jackson started from scratch, storing most of her salvaged goods in a railroad car trailer on the back corner.
Now there’s a substantially larger pole barn with brick-red siding and a deep front porch.
Inside there is a large seating area with a smaller one off to the right for a little more privacy, but still open enough to keep from feeling isolated. The charming mish-mash of furniture can accommodate tables of two to two dozen.
A new coffee bar has stools for the coffee set. It’s sided with interior tin roofing that was salvaged from the former bank annex building. This same decorative antique tin is used as wainscoting in the smaller dining area. The windows and doors have been framed with the same carved wood from the original home — a unique flower and wheat motif. Above the kitchen window is the old Reading railroad sign, flanked by two signal lanterns that came from the former train depot.
Jackson still has many more bits of local memorabilia to hang, as well as the autographed Wildcat shower curtain that will return to the bathroom.
On Monday, a table of four was waiting at 11 a.m. “I’m going to be the first to have lunch,” exclaimed Walter Henrie. He was seated with Glen and Margaret Gunselman and Jerry Karr. They had enjoyed cinnamon rolls already, and the Gunselmans were leaving to run errands, but Henrie was correct. His plate soon arrived, covered with steaming hot green beans, roast beef and mashed potatoes, the latter liberally doused with gravy.
“Congratulations! And thank you!” Margaret Gunselman called out as they left, making room for another couple coming for lunch.
As the dining room filled up, conversation turned from happiness at the reopening to the normal things one hears in a small town. One fellow’s son had bagged two deer. Another had seen “a bald eagle not 15 yards from” him as he drove into town. Jackson and her helpers Rosalie Voorhees and Jenifer Hanneman bustled around taking orders, cooking lunches and trying to remember where everything was.
Jackson says the plan is to have the daily lunch special stay the same for now: Roast beef Monday, ham and cheesy potatoes Tuesday, Chef’s choice Wednesday, fried chicken Thursday and Mexican Friday. The specials come with a trip to the salad bar and a slice of Jackson’s special cinnamon swirl bread. The cinnamon bread is more yeasty than sweet, so it compliments the meal instead of feeling like dessert.
“It’s my mother’s recipe,” she said. “Every day I make cinnamon swirl bread or cinnamon rolls. Plus, I try to have loaves on hand for sale.”
The big lunch day was always Thursday. That’s pan fried chicken day and The Miracle always sells out of the special.
Monday through Friday there is a breakfast menu of breakfast burritos, sandwiches, biscuits (gravy option included), and cinnamon rolls or bread. The big day for breakfast is Saturday, 6 to 11 a.m., with platters of eggs, sausage, pancakes, hash browns, bacon and so forth.
It has been a long time coming, and it will still take a bit to settle into the new space and return to some of the activities the citizens were accustomed to enjoying at the Cafe, like occasional live music.
“It’s just baby steps now,” Jackson said, with a gleam of hope and happiness in her eye.
And, it’s a miracle.
• The Miracle Cafe is in downtown Reading at 103 Franklin Street, and can be reached at (620) 699-3009. The hours are Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Saturday, breakfast only, 6 a.m. to 11 a.m.
midnightlilly (anonymous) says...
With all the "Miracles" they should change the name to Saint something.
December 14, 2011 at 11:26 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )