19-year-old Missouri man prepares to reopen diner in Kansas

GIRARD, Kan. -- Andrew Faucett hopes to reopen a popular restaurant in a building more than 100 years older than he is.

Faucett, 19, of Frontenac, Missouri, is the new owner-operator of East Side Diner in Girard. Past owner-operator Kimbra Brunk will lease the building to Faucett for one year, but if the restaurant succeeds, she plans to sell it to him.

There has been a restaurant at that location in the Crawford County seat going back to 1920, but it had closed a year or so ago.

Faucett believes he can manage a grand opening by the end of May, as he concludes his affairs at the famous Harry's Cafe of Pittsburg, Missouri, where he's been a cook, server and manager since he was 14 years old.

"If you have the heart and the passion to want to be your own boss and to have your own efforts impact the community, you can do it," Faucett said. "It doesn't matter how old you are."

Old appliances and furniture have collected dust since the restaurant closed, and Faucett didn't exactly find a new-car smell when he turned the key for the first time.

The exterior awning has large holes in it, the interior paint is chipped, the ceiling has to be replaced, and Faucett will have to deep-clean everything before opening.

"We won't have any problems with people coming in on day one," Brunk said. "People keep asking, 'When are you going to reopen?' Everyone is very anxious. After that, the place will have to be ready. We'll have to earn their trust."

If resources allow, the front door and windows also will be upgraded. The entry, too, must be addressed, as a restaurant with a rusted storm door that has to be forced open is not going to have much foot traffic.

Amid all of this, starting in August, the city of Girard will begin a streetscape project to rejuvenate and remodel the town square. Faucett likely will have to open amid armies of orange cones, though the city will help pay for a new awning as part of the project.

A city facade grant also is available for the door and windows, and a 5 percent or greater improvement in property value would qualify East Side for a 10-year property tax abatement.

If the essentials are done in time, Faucett said, he plans to provide catering services around Crawford County to make sure everyone knows East Side is back. He's confident the demand is there.

"Greenbush (Southeast Kansas Education Service Center) has some kind of catering need basically every day," Faucett said.

"They don't really have people who can go out and cater for their kids right now; they just get pizza. So I'm looking forward to filling that niche."

Following a "don't fix it if it's not broken" attitude and based on his experience at Harry's, Faucett will stick with a breakfast-all-day plus brunch menu.

"The anticipation is so high, we could probably have a vegetarian menu just fine the first week," Brunk said with a laugh. "But these guys are farmers. They'll be wanting to know where the meat is."

Faucett intends to close after the lunch rush, as cleaning, food preparation and maintenance for the next day is expected to take at least four hours each day, and the labor budget won't be high.

"I'm thinking what we'll do is 6-to-2, six days a week," he said. "If people tell me there is really a demand for dinner, we'll go for that. We'll serve breakfast food then, too."

Brunk said she expects the stress on Faucett will be significant, which is why she plans to retain a peripheral role and overall ownership for the first year.

Though Brunk said she didn't know Faucett from Adam before 2015, after being introduced by Julie Smith of the Girard Area Chamber of Commerce, she was impressed.

"To me, he seemed so young, and I didn't think that would work out," Brunk said. "I've had a chance to get to know him since, and I feel like he can do everything he says. He's a real hard worker, a truly unique and earnest young man."

Brunk had been in charge from 2005 after buying East Side from Nellie Wutke, who took over what was called Fern's Cafe in 1970. Under Fern Fliss, a restaurant had been open in one form or another at that location since 1920.

Brunk is looking forward to mentoring Faucett through the upcoming challenges.

"Fern's daughter, Noreen, once told me that she'd often go home feeling discouraged," Brunk said. "But then, at 4:30 a.m. the next morning, when she put the key in the door, she'd know she could do it."

Wutke's son, Dave, who worked at the restaurant in the 1970s as a busboy and waiter, said the reopening drums up plenty of memories and hope for the future.

"It's the ideal hometown kind of place," Wutke said. "It's location and everything right on the square really represents the heart and soul of Girard."

Information from: The Joplin (Mo.) Globe, http://www.joplinglobe.com