PHOTO OF THE DAY: OLD EATERY
In late December 1966, Toby and Erma Kapsch built and opened the Silver Star Dine-Inn on the southeast corner of Poplar and Fifth. The café had a diner atmosphere – with both booths and counter seating – and became a popular spot for coffee and meals. It remained in operation for a decade.
If the building looks familiar it’s because in 1976 Ron Bennett, a principal and coach at Freeman High School, purchased it and moved it to the northwest intersection of Highway 81 and South Country Road. One of the accompanying photos shows it being moved east on Sixth Street. Bennett remodeled, expanded and renamed it Mr. B’s.
In the decades that followed it continued to be expanded and remodeled as a restaurant under other owners. It became the Corner Corral, Papa’s, the Prairie House, Katie’s Malt Shoppe, the Chislic House and, most recently, Tienda CentroAmerica (restaurant and grocery store).
The photos are from our archives and we found details of the history in the the book “Freeman Facts, Freeman Fiction” and file copies of the Freeman Courier. Our museum is open weekday afternoons from noon to 4. We’re closed holidays (including New Year’s Day) in the fall and winter months.
