Kingfisher's Inn will close doors Sunday
Staff reporter
A Marion County and regional landmark will close its doors Sunday.
Bob and Kathy Sprowls, owners of Kingfisher's Inn at Marion County Park and Lake, announced they are closing their business, serving their customers for the last time Sunday.
The business has been for sale for several years.
"We just can't go through another winter like last year," Kathy Sprowls said.
She added the business needed more volume.
"We've had a good out-of-town trade and very loyal local customers," Kathy Sprowls said.
A number of other factors have contributed to the Sprowls' making the difficult decision.
"The economy hasn't been the best," Bob Sprowls said. "With the price of gas going up, people just aren't getting out as much."
An increase in beef prices which required an increase in menu prices has had an affect on the business.
"The accidents on U.S.-50 hurt us," Kathy Sprowls said. "We had people calling us from Wichita, asking how to get here without using U.S.-50."
The Sprowls purchased the restaurant in 1980. In 1989, they expanded the building — nearly doubling it in size.
They continued to update and improve the facility to make dining as pleasurable as possible.
A popular destination, Kingfisher's Inn was featured in a 1994 edition of Kansas magazine.
"There have been numerous people who have come to the restaurant, fell in love with the lake, and moved here," Bob Sprowls said.
The original building was built in 1940 by George King. Since that time, ownership has changed hands only a few times.
Liquor by-the-drink
The Sprowls believe the adoption of liquor by-the-drink would benefit the county tremendously.
"There are a lot of Marion County dollars going to other counties that serve a drink with a meal," Kathy Sprowls said.
The Sprowls said it would be a good selling point for their restaurant.
"When we first put the restaurant up for sale, there were seven calls to (the real estate agent) right away," Bob Sprowls said. "They lost interest when they found out they couldn't serve a drink with a meal."
"People need to take a good, hard look at this," Kathy Sprowls said.
Appreciative
On Sunday when the Sprowls and their employees serve the last customers, tears will probably be shed.
The Sprowls have 23 employees, mostly part-time. One employee has been with them for 18 years.
"We are a very close-knit group," Kathy Sprowls said.
The Sprowls are hoping to remain in Marion.
Their son Chris Sprowls, who has worked in the family business, has employment lined up with a local business "at least until Christmas," Kathy Sprowls said.
Bob has sent resumes to various companies. Kathy is hoping to find something closer to home but realizes she may have to drive.
"I enjoy restaurant work," Kathy Sprowls said. "It's what I've always done."
If Bob and Kathy can't find employment, they may be faced with another difficult decision — moving away from Marion.
For now, the Sprowls are appreciative to a community who supported them for nearly a quarter of a century.
"We've had so many really good customers for so many years," Kathy Sprowls said. "This is going to be a really big change of us."
"This is just another fork in the road," Bob Sprowls said.
