Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Matter of fact it was the talk of the Opelika-Auburn area for several months afterwards. 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. Many of the businesses had not opened yet, but there were students living in apartments above those businesses. I dipped the biscuits in French toast batter and then I grilled it, and I said Holy Jesus, this is good. Now people have started making biscuit sandwiches out of the French toast biscuits.. 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. And then theres the St. Patricks Day tradition: Each year, Richard Kapala cooks about 500 pounds of corned beef, and serves it at the bar with cabbage and either rye or Irish soda bread. Mike Moore and I never heard the explosion but coming out we saw the smoke and walked down to see what had happened I remember paper everywhere things like sheets out of receipt pads. Find out what works well at Kopper Kettle from the people who know best. Now the Kapalas hire a DJ to spin tracks on Friday and Saturday nights. 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. Auburn had made the national news. FEASTERVILLE, PA One of the owners of the Kopper Kettle bar and restaurant in Feasterville has pleaded guilty to federal tax evasion charges. In the picture where the painting is on wall of the tiger, that was my dental office. They lived in Cary Woods, and the blast woke me up. He hung a left on Glenn Avenue and made his way up College Street before turning down Magnolia. Use the 'Report' link on Were not going anywhere, Laurel said. To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com. "The Kopper Kettle explosion was the big event while I was at Auburn. LOWELL It may soon be last call at Cappys Copper Kettle. There comes a time in every persons life when they have to grow up and settle down a bit. 765-763-6767. They are down to two prospective buyers, both of whom plan to run a bar in the space. The anniversary and a sermon given shortly after the blast by the Rev. An AU student from the Plainsman took my photograph as I was walking through the intersection at Gay and Magnolia. (SUN/Julia Malakie)A couple chairs down, 63-year-old Luis Velazquez clutched a Michelob Ultra. I was sleeping late that morning as usual. As with the Smash Pot, Morris came up with the idea as a way to satisfy her own craving on a slow morning in the kitchen. Get our Weekly recap with the latest news, articles and resources. Kopper Kettle in Feasterville is up for sale, plus owners charged with tax evasion Pretty sad news. It was owned by John Brooks, Laurel Kapala's great-uncle. But wasnt it more of a fancy type deal? Required fields are marked *, Like this story? Still, she does big business on Saturday mornings, when Pineville families come in for breakfast. Not bad for a small bar, Laurel Kapala said. Karol Cappy Kapala had been a bartender for years, and even had what Richard described as a local following.. The windowless home-turned-diner was a popular after-work destination for local farmers and factory workers who would sometimes drink and gamble into the night. Sinclair and his wife, Louise, now live in Charlottesville, Va. By the early 1980s, the block was rebuilt and the evidence of the blast was gone. The explosion, which originated in the basement of Waldrop's, also damaged numerous other buildings in downtown Auburn. The Kopper Kettle used to serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But over the years, multiple customers have claimed that they caught the fish and gave it to Cappy. Explosive Exclusive: 78 never-before-seen photos of the Kopper Kettle explosion of 1978 | The War Ea About a year later I heard a local radio spot for something and they said "we are located across [], Your email address will not be published. He got an idea of the severity of the incident as he headed into help after he turned off Highway 280 onto Highway 147 and rose to the top of the first hill. He had no idea that I was married to him, she said. Thank you for reading! Upon reconstruction, windows were added, which was the first step in changing the vibe inside. 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. When I saw the bricks and wood flying in the air above the buildings at Gay and Magnolia. There are niches with marble and alabaster statuary, Dresden china, and Chinese chests. It had a liquor license and a lively bar, but by the late 1990s, George and Penny decided to serve just breakfast and lunch. . The Kapalas guess that the wall is as old as the bar, possibly dating back to the 1930s. 2023 Alabama Living Magazine All Rights Reserved | Made with by Dogwood. He opened Kopper Kettle with his wife, Penny, in 1971, when their stretch of Nations Ford Road was miles of open fields and a few trailers. We use our own and third party cookies to allow us to understand how the site is used and to support our marketing campaigns. On Sunday, October 28, 2018, Terri Stacy and Mel McMahon chat with Leigh Langkable, owner of Kopper Kettle Inn Restaurant in Morristown, Indiana. On Halloween, they would arrive dressed in costume. Her first creation, the Smash Pot, features a large serving of grilled potatoes, peppers, onions, tomatoes and bacon or sausage with two over-medium eggs placed on top though it comes fully customizable. I-77 was still . Dang I dont remember it looking that devastated. Nicole DeFeudis covers early morning news and general assignment stories. Useful. A gas leak caused the explosion in January 1978 that destroyed the Kopper Kettle restaurant and several nearby businesses. We went running downtown and were just amazed at the damage at so many businesses. 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. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. My dads dental office was above the Kopper Kettle (Dr. James L. Carroll)! Cloudy. Where I am standing is no more than 40 feet from the blast site and you can see the stacks of plates that are unharmed! Some folks came by a day later to collect the records. The Copper Kettle opened as a bar in the late 1930s. Jan. 15, 1978 was a quiet Sunday in downtown Auburn. Its like a slice of Lowell, George Saba, a 66-year-old Cappys regular, said as he sipped coffee at the counter on a recent Wednesday morning. Be Nice. Checking back? I-77 was still under construction. Thanks for listening! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. 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. Had glass replaced, frame and hung in new office in Opelika. Keith K. CA, CA. Editors note: Patterson is a retired diplomat with the U.S. Department of State and resides in Washington, D.C. Uncover why Kopper Kettle is the best company for you. That place is disgusting. McCord worked on top of the ladder truck for about three and a half hours before being relieved. On Sunday morning, January 15, 1978, half a block of businesses on East Magnolia Avenue in downtown Auburn blew the hell up (kapow, boom, war-zone), chief am. Be Proactive. Its her ability to listen, she finally decides. Eckler and Yost, if convicted, could face up to five years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine and full restitution to the IRS. Stephen Eckler, 68, of Ivyland, pleaded guilty on. On a regular work day, not Sunday when this happened, I wouldve been at work long before 8:00 AM! The most comprehensive restaurant menus & dish reviews site - Zmenu Funny 1. [] in the late 70s a restaurant in downtown Auburn, AL blew up because of a gas leak. They were hooking up hand lines from other sections of the town, different fireplugs.". It continues like this throughout the morning, with folks of all ages and races streaming in and out; many of them seem to know each other, all of them know Morris. Soggy potato. Theyre heavy-handed in the kitchen, she says, and I like that.. We were all so grateful that there were no fatalities, Patterson says. Delivery & Pickup Options - 445 reviews of Kopper Kettle "If for some reason you find yourself driving through Yucaipa, and trying to decide between Denny's, Domino's or Del Taco, do yourself a favor and pick this place instead. Perhaps it suffered for our sins. 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. It was just an incredible experience.. "I just heard the explosion," McCord said. 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. It rocked us! Investigators determined the gas leak blast was equivalent to multiple tons of TNT exploding. And it blew all those mannequins out there on the sidewalk and the street," McCord said. It was a miracle that it happened when the damage was to property not people. 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