All rights reserved. We were going to the office after church to do a filling on my mother! 40th anniversary: Kopper Kettle explosion still reverberates today, Notice of Public Hearing - 801 Ogletree Road, Auburn Roundup: Arbor Day celebration on tap for Saturday, Auburn Public Library hosting Multilingual Story Time on Saturday, Steve Foote, Auburn's planning director, passes away, Tigers, Trojans close out series with a rare tie game, ACS Board of Education approves elementary rezoning. Looking back on the 55 years they ran the bar, the Kapalas said they will cherish getting to know new people and making new friends the most. GET BREAKING NEWS IN YOUR BROWSER. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Cappys was busiest in the 1980s, Richard Kapala reminisced. "When you ask anyone that was there, the first thing that theyll tell you is it was damn cold. "Criminals like Eckler chip away at the integrity of the system, which has a ripple effect on everyone in the community. I thought a tornado was coming through but I didn't see anything outside. Morris takes pride in the large portions. The place used to get so packed that we used to have a line outside, Richard Kapala said. It was owned by John Brooks, Laurel Kapala's great-uncle. Soggy potato. Shes got a whole sheaf of notes in a drawer by the cash register with things her father, now 84, tells her. For this speech, Patterson will talk about what he witnessed at both the Kopper Kettle explosion in Auburn, and on 9/11 when he worked in Washington D.C. as a diplomat. The event made national news. After 55 years of ownership, Richard Kapala and his wife, Laurel, are selling the building and with it, the business. The original building is no longer recognizable. Ells have been added, porches attached, stairways built, and patios and gardens laid out. I think I remember asking my roomie on the top bunk: "what was that!?" For years after the Kopper Kettle explosion, residents celebrated its anniversary, and it still reverberates in memories and stories today. A slice of Lowell: Cappys Copper Kettle, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), A slice of Lowell: Cappys Copper Kettle owners looking to sell, Make your credit cards less vulnerable to fraud, 3 steps borrowers can take to cope with the stress of student debt, Chipotle Mexican Grill adds a TikTok favorite to its digital-only menu, Frank Lloyd Wrights only oceanfront home sells for $22 million in Carmel, Bill needs a kidney: Tyngsboro man searches for lifesaving donor, Seeing orbs in photos? The Kopper Kettle Tavern is located at 1985 Bridgetown Pike in Feasterville-Trevose, Pennsylvania. The anniversary and a sermon given shortly after the blast by the Rev. I was living at Dexter Arms apartments, across from Hardees, several blocks away. 1,687 were here. As much time as she spent in the smoke-filled diner, however, she never imagined shed one day be running it. Deceptive and after the fact additional costs not disclosed on menu. I hits close to home, huh? : Combatting the Rattiest Cities, 9 Things to Do and See in Charlotte: February 2023, A Guide to Charlotte's Top Bar Food Spots: 2023. His office blew up and The Gentry Building replaced/filled the hole. It was so cold, Lawrence got stuck to the sidewalk after getting sprayed from the ladder truck while working a hand line on the ground. I think he left me a $20 tip he felt so bad.. 2 Player of the Year, Lowell boys basketball team tops Malden in Division 1 prelim, High school roundup: Vinny D'Urso, Lowell Catholic blank Haverhill, 1-0, MVC boys basketball: Tewksbury's Ryan Cuvier named Div. Students were away from their apartments, cars were halted at just the right stoplight, and churchgoers, like Patterson, were just beginning to emerge. They were hooking up hand lines from other sections of the town, different fireplugs.". If your scrolling finger is limber enough, here are 78 photos most of which have never been seen until now taken in the immediate aftermath of the blast by former Opelika-Auburn News photographer Brad Ashmore. and au jus (!!). Larry was in his building on the second floor when all this occurred. This production is made possible with the help of the following: Recorded with Terri Stacy. Dick Kapala, bartender and co-owner of Cappys Copper Kettle, left, with customer Daniel Correa of Lowell, right. This is the second post in a three-part series commemorating the 33rd anniversary of the day the Kopper Kettle blew up (and celebrating the scores of injuries and deaths that miraculously did not occur remember the song The Kettles Gone? We are a restaurant specializing in American style foods. If this had happened today, it would be a much different outcome.. Useful. At 8:13 a.m., the Kopper Kettle, a restaurant located in the heart of downtown Auburn, exploded due to a gas leak, taking out several neighboring businesses and shaking the town to its core. The Nerve is distributed every other Wednesday and includes feature stories, event and music listings, puzzles and more. Find out what works well at Kopper Kettle from the people who know best. Ells have been added, porches attached, stairways built, and patios and gardens laid out. I love this place., Were sitting at a booth near the front door of the original dining room on a rainy Tuesday morning, and throughout our conversation Morris has to pause to ring up customers as they leave, chatting each one up as if theyre family. But I didnt realize what happened until later that day when I went to Foy Union to watch the Super Bowl on a (really bad) big screen TV and heard somebody say downtown blew up!. https://www.coldwellbankerhomes.com/pa/feasterville-trevose/1985-bridgetown-pike/pid_31709455/ https://www.justice.gov/usao-edpa/pr/bucks-county-bar-and-restaurant-owners-charged-tax-offenses comments sorted by Best Top New Controversial Q&A tor29c Her second creation is for those with a sweeter tooth: French toast biscuits. The Kapalas are currently selling the building and business for $850,000. Richard and Laurel Kapala both work about seven days per week. People that we see once a year come down for that, Laurel Kapala said. He was there on the infamous night in February 1967 when Speros Kokenes, who owned The Open Kitchen with his brother, Steve, was carjacked and murdered in what was believed to be a botched armed robbery. accounts, the history behind an article. Monday will mark the event's 40th anniversary. Not sorry they got caught. Rock and roll bands would play on weekend nights while customers danced. Thanks to God no one was hurt that morning. I was in Magnolia Dorm cafeteria for breakfast. I was working at the old Spur station on the corner of Gay and Glenn. Its a memory Ill never forget, says Patterson. The large, quaint house is a veritable art museum - housing fascinating collection of art objects from many parts of the world - all tastefully displayed from beautiful antique furnishings and artifacts. The same could be said for Kopper Kettle Family Restaurant. (And if youd like to help us keep the obsession with Auburn lore unhealthy and the lights on through the winter, click here.). We learn about the restaurant serving Hoosiers and guests for 91 years, how to keep traditions alive while staying relevant, and thoughts about buying an existing restaurant. In the seventies after graduation and being away for several years my husband wrote a series of essays about being a student at Auburn. We are a family style dining restaurant, known for our famous pan fried chicken, delicious filet mignon and fresh seafood. Auburn had made the national news. The familiar greasy spoon that once stood on the corner of Gay Street and Magnolia Avenue did not make a return, but it will forever be remembered by Auburn students and residents. My dads dental office was above the Kopper Kettle (Dr. James L. Carroll)! We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content. (Photo by Ryan Pitkin) A bird's-eye-view picture of the restaurant and the land around it that was taken in 1971 hangs on the wall near the cash register today, and it shows just how isolated the Kopper Kettle was three residential trailers are all that can be seen nearby. It is the fourth-most populous county in Pennsylvania. Multiple strokes have affected his short-term memory, but his recollections of the restaurants beginnings and Morris childhood are as strong as ever, and she values the time she can spend listening to his stories. Thank you for signing in! Much to everyones relief, not a single person was killed that day and no life-threatening injuries were sustained. 2023 Alabama Living Magazine All Rights Reserved | Made with by Dogwood. "I went up there on the top of that on the fly section and the people had hand lines down there on the other buildings because there was about a quarter of a block that was burnt up," he said. 13,909 were here. I got out of bed to look out the window to see. One elderly white couple tries to keep up as she explains the restaurants annual celebration of International Jorts Day, which the Kettle staff celebrates on May 24. There was a Kopper Kettle in Brookwood Mall at that time, and the food was pretty good, if I remember. Your email address will not be published. A young black girl tells Morris she didnt eat breakfast because shes refusing to eat anything until her mom lets her have pizza, to which Morris responds, Completely understandable.. Do you have any stories from that day? Karol Kapala would tell Richard that he caught the large brown fish. ..Awesome finds, Jeremy. Add a photo Ratings and reviews 3.0 2 reviews #46 of 51 Restaurants in Beaumont Threats of harming another The streets were empty as Jim Patterson, an Auburn student, made his way from his apartment on Thach Avenue to St. Dunstans Episcopal Church on nearby Magnolia Avenue to catch the morning worship service. In 1964, Richards father, Karol, and a co-owner bought the bar. Notice the new Lincoln Continental still with dealer tag on it. These photos bring back so many memories! "We started hooking up hoses and everything. This laughing with customers is what the couple says they will miss the most. It was a miracle that it happened when the damage was to property not people. The couple knows most customers by name, or in some cases, their drink orders. I just thought he was getting me too close there. Its not just the great food or even her Kopper Kettle family that keeps her around, however; theres also her real family to think about. Checking back? He lived near the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, and says as his windows shook from the plane crash, he thought back to that January day in 1978. We were all so grateful that there were no fatalities, Patterson says. Hello, Great photos of the Toomers explosion. chat with Leigh Langkable, owner of Kopper Kettle Inn Restaurant in Morristown, Indiana. Its her ability to listen, she finally decides. Both George and Penny came from Greece in the 1960s. That old 68 Nova shook pretty hard! In her time running the Kettle, Morris has brought it into the digital age, creating profiles on Google, Yelp, Facebook and, most recently, Instagram. Owners Stephen Eckler, 68, of Ivyland, and Robert Yost, 52, of Southampton, allegedly did not report $263,340 in cash wages to dishwashers between March 2012 and September 2016. When her dad, George Karnezis, had a stroke in 2014, she stepped in to run her parents restaurant, Kopper Kettle, until they were back on their feet. "The boys from Station 2 come driving up there in the truck, and they thought it was just people laying out there in the road.". More than 70 businesses in the immediate vicinity were damaged . And it blew all those mannequins out there on the sidewalk and the street," McCord said. Every day, something happens, Laurel Kapala said, recalling more silly stories. Thats a loaded one, she says, pausing to think it over. In addition, we offer catering and carry out! My family was living in Willow Creek out on Highway 14. The blast left more than 70 businesses damaged, and one small town reeling. That place is disgusting. Richard Kapala was discharged from the air force that year, and took over his fathers share of the bar. Auburns 1908 team went undefeated despite losing to professional LSU team, Mustache Guys church pays prankish tribute to its famous youth minister during Sunday service, Well remember too, this season of great joy and hope. Compare pay for popular roles and read about the team's work-life balance. When her dad, George Karnezis, had a stroke in 2014, she stepped in to run her parents restaurant, Raise a Glass Ceiling: Inside Craft Brewing's The Pink Boots Society, Where to Eat in Charlotte's South End: 2023, Curated For You: MyNewFloor.com Makes Flooring Easy, The Making of Childrens Theatre of Charlottes Production of The Night Diary, How Being on Summer Camp Staff Impacted My Life, Oh, Rats! I love this place.. Kopper Kettle in Feasterville is up for sale, plus owners charged with tax evasion Pretty sad news. Stephen Eckler, 68, of Ivyland, pleaded guilty on. Failure to report these wages allowed the restaurant to avoid paying FICA taxes, which include Social Security and Medicare taxes, authorities said. Sunday morning, I was just beginning to wake up when, >BLAMMO! Today, the restaurants walls are covered with memorabilia, like caricatures of George and a former chef and waiter juggling dishes and rushing around, with captions in accented English. We hope that you enjoy our free content. Long ago, the Kopper Kettle Inn Restaurant put Morristown on gourmets' list from coast to coast as a stop on Route 52 where a fine meal may be enjoyed in a delightfully restful setting. Now the Kapalas hire a DJ to spin tracks on Friday and Saturday nights. Kopper Kettles version of a Philly cheesesteak, with pot roast (!) In the 90s, after Morris had her first child, George decided to close for dinner, and today it remains only a breakfast and lunch eatery, with no liquor or beer on the menu. 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