Sedalia Icon Faces Extinction
By Matt Bird-Meyer, The Sedalia Democrat, Sedalia, Mo.
May 13–The Sedalia Guberburger may be history soon.
“It looks to me like it’s the end of the Wheel Inn,” said Jack Hawkins, who co-owns the building with his wife, Ruth Ann.
The Missouri Department of Transportation plans to widen the intersection of West Broadway Boulevard and South Limit Avenue. The $6.2 million project will shut down the State Fair Eagle Stop and may push the Wheel Inn and Jiffy Stop Food Mart out of business.
“We will lose, we believe, 50 to 75 percent of our traffic,” said Wayne Compton, president and owner of
Mid-Missouri Oil Co., which operates the Jiffy Stop. “We don’t know what we’re going to do at this point.”
The project will close main entrances to all three businesses, and 300-foot-long medians prevent left turns into other entrances. The Eagle Stop will close all entrances, according to the plan.
Mrs. Hawkins said cars at the Wheel Inn would not be able to drive around cars parked against the building if the corner is widened. The drive-in opened in 1947.
Pat Brandkamp, who co-owns the Wheel Inn with her husband, John, said she believes the intersection needs improvement, but the project may force the diner to close.
“I believe it will do away with the Wheel Inn,” Mrs. Brandkamp said.
Jason Vanderfeltz, MoDOT project manager, said the work will improve the turning radius for trucks and make the intersection safer. The intersection’s four corners will be widened, similar to the corner near Walgreen Drug Store, and two-foot-wide raised medians will be added in all directions, Mr. Vanderfeltz said.
Two left-turn lanes will be added to northbound Limit Avenue and westbound Broadway Boulevard. A right-turn lane will be added to eastbound Broadway Boulevard.
He said construction is estimated to cost $2.2 million and is scheduled to begin in spring 2008 and completed later that year. The department is budgeting $4 million to purchase 29 parcels of land.
John Ortner, chief negotiator for MoDOT, said nine properties are being appraised. They include the Eagle Stop, Wheel Inn and Jiffy Stop Food Mart. He said MoDOT has acquired three parcels and made offers for 17.
Amy Stilfield, Eagle Stop manager, said she will “ride it out and see what happens.”
Mrs. Brandkamp said she would retire if the Wheel Inn closed. Mr. Brandkamp retired last year after working there for 46 years. The couple have owned the business since 1987.
Roy Alexander, 76, of Sedalia, said he’s been a patron of the Wheel Inn since it opened in 1947.
“I think it should be against the law for this building to be torn down,” Mr. Alexander said, sitting at the diner counter. “It’s a historic building.”
Bob and Barb Koonse, of Boonville, were at the Wheel Inn for lunch Friday. Mr. Koonse said they’ve visited the drive-in since 1956, when the couple came to Sedalia on dates.
“This is a landmark here,” Mrs. Koonse said.
Both said they were disappointed to hear the diner might close.
“But that’s progress,” Mr. Koonse said.
mbird-meyer
@sedaliademocrat.com
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Copyright (c) 2006, The Sedalia Democrat, Sedalia, Mo.
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