OUR STORY

There had always been a small restaurant at the ‘Corner’ in Riverside Missouri, but before 1983 it had changed names and hands several times. Many of the locals wanted to see a return to the old style cafe that had existed there years before and was an icon of its time (Reese’s Cafe).

Enter Ed and Kathi Rule. They were local business owners and their family had helped to establish Riverside as a city. They had never been in the restaurant business before, but always felt they knew what good food was all about. They used to always experiment at home on new recipes and go to restaurants they liked with the thought of one day possibly opening their own restaurant. That day came. It began on May 15th 1983, when they opened a little 40 seat cafe that would serve breakfast and lunch, Monday through Friday.

The Corner Cafe was born. There was a lot of learning in those first couple years. New items were introduced as daily specials written on the front windows and inside on the chalkboard. The counter became the center of the action. ‘The Riverside Liar’s Club’ took up the large round table by the counter and became the place to be to find out all the local happenings in town. It didn’t take long for the locals to notice. Then as word spread, more and more people would start to call asking for directions. It was obvious that expansion was needed. First the weekends, then dinner, then two expansions that doubled the seating. For many it became a home away from home, it was like an extended family. People would come in everyday, some several times a day! People would bring in pictures and items to hang on the walls, they shared their lives with us as we shared our livelihood with them. When a fire in 1985 burned down a warehouse next to the restaurant, customers helped to pull items out in hopes of saving anything they could. Thankfully the fire was stopped before serious damage was done. The warehouse was a total loss, but offered an opportunity for the future.

The original cafe had occupied a location that had lasted for over 50 years as a restaurant. It was painfully obvious that modernization was needed. The wheels began to spin about the possibility of building a new restaurant where the old warehouse once stood. Careful consideration was taken while designing the new Corner Cafe. They had to make certain that they didn’t alienate the long time customer, while trying to attract new customers.

The new Corner Cafe opened on December 6th 1994, built on the traditions of the original. The fireplace came from the foundation of the old family farmhouse. The windmill came from their father’s farm. The pictures on the wall tell about their family history as well as that of Riverside and the surrounding area. The counter, the round table, the food, the service were all fashioned to recreate what people had come to expect from the original restaurant.

Today, we continue the traditions that started back in 1983. With new locations open and more on the way, we strive to provide the best products, the best service, and the best value in an atmosphere that makes you feel like your part of the family. Our family.