Tekoa's Feeding Station to close after 19 years

Garth Meyer, Whitman County Gazette | Aug 27, 20200

TEKOA — The Tekoa café at the crest of the hill – in the building of a former implements dealer – will go out of business Friday after 19 years.

The Feeding Station, owned and operated by Shawn Smith and her mother Juanita Paden since 2006, will close after much thought the past two years.

“Business is down, minimum wage is up, COVID came along, it’s any number of things,” Smith said. “It’s just a lot of work.”

Before the virus shutdowns, the café was down to mother and daughter and one employee, from a peak of six. Others volunteered their time in the café, including one retiree who spent nine hours per day at the seven-day per week business, washing dishes, serving food and more.

Smith had worked at the Feeding Station for the previous owner for four years before she and Paden bought the restaurant.

“My mother and I took it over so it wouldn’t close,” said Smith.

Now, building owner Dan Hay seeks someone to take it over from them.

The restaurant ran seven days per week, on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., then serving breakfast and lunch on the weekends.

Various groups held meetings at the tables, from the Friends of the Empire Theatre to Tekoa Chamber of Commerce and the Tekoa Trail and Trestle Association.

“Sunday turned out to be one of our biggest days because of the after-church crowd,” said Smith. “Our motto always was, ‘the first time you come in, you’re a customer, the second time you’re family.’ We had a lot of support from the town, we always have.”

During the pandemic-closings in March and April, the restaurant served take-out orders.

“It went extremely well,” Smith said, noting regulars calling in weekly.

The Feeding Station closed to inside-customers two days before St. Patrick’s Day.

“You could only do to-go orders for corned beef and cabbage,” said Smith.

She grew up in Garfield and got started in restaurants working at the former Dot’s Tavern in Garfield when she was 21. Later she worked at Hangman Creek Bar & Grill in Waverly.

Paden had a beauty salon next door to the Feeding Station, in the same building, until five years ago.

All the while, she worked at the restaurant full-time.

“It’s hard to find people that want to work that are trustworthy at the same time,” said Smith.

Now she and her mother prepare to close, after which they will move their decorations out and a basement full of storage.

“It’ll be a bare restaurant when we’re done,” said Smith. “A bare building, I should say... We have enjoyed making everyone feel welcome and providing a service to the community.”