Photos by Deb Gau Mike’s Cafe employees, including Mal Bingen, keep working through the restaurant’s final Sunday breakfast rush.

MARSHALL — Sunday breakfast was off to a busy start at Mike’s Cafe. Around a dozen vehicles were parked outside the restaurant and customers waiting for the doors to open at 8 a.m.

Mike’s Cafe employees said Sunday mornings were usually a busy time for the restaurant. But this time it was bittersweet: it was the cafe’s final day serving customers.

“I knew it would be a tough day, but I had to come,” said Bev Viergutz, one of the customers at Mike’s on Sunday morning.

Viergutz, a Green Valley resident, said she’s been coming to Mike’s for years. Learning that the cafe was closing down was a shock, she said.

Last week, Mike’s Cafe owner Ross Taveirne announced the restaurant would be closing and Sunday would be the last of business. Taveirne said the restaurant had not been able to bounce back after COVID shutdowns in 2020. That, plus other factors like rising prices, led to the decision to close Mike’s.

“It’s been a tough week. But today is especially hard, having to say goodbye to all of our customers,” said Mike’s Cafe staff member Sonja Haugen.

At the same time, there had been “an outpouring of support from the community” over the past couple of weeks, said manager Kate Bingen.

The support was visible on Sunday, too. Viergutz didn’t just stop by Mike’s to order a meal — she made sure she was wearing her Mike’s Cafe T-shirt. “I bought this when it was shut down, to support them during the pandemic,” she said.

Mike’s had a long legacy in Marshall. The restaurant was established in 1936. Some of the customers on Sunday remembered eating at Mikes when they were young, or having family members who worked there over the years.

“My wife LaNaye worked here when it was Mike’s uptown,” Keith Hennen said.

Hennen and other customers recalled the old Mike’s location, near the corner of College Drive and Lyon Street.

“It was in the old Lyon County Co-Op building,” said Stan Sik.

“They had a counter where you could set and eat, and a bunch of booths,” said Stan’s brother Mark Sik.

After a fire in 2002, Mike’s moved down to its current location on East College Drive, into a building that had once been a Happy Chef restaurant.

The Siks said they could remember visiting Mike’s ever since they were teenagers. Their families still came to the cafe regularly.

“Sometimes we have breakfast, sometimes coffee,” said Lillian Sik.

Quite a few of the customers who visited Mike’s for its last breakfast rush were regulars.

“We’ve been coming here for years,” said Aloma Coudron. Coudron was part of a group of family and friends gathered in a corner booth. The food at Mike’s was good, but the atmosphere and the friendly people were also a draw, they said.

Darcay Kesteloot said one of the things she liked about Mike’s was “Just getting together and seeing all the locals.”

Viergutz said the food, staff, and customers were all things she enjoyed about Mike’s.

“The cinnamon rolls, there’s none like it. And the camaraderie. Everyone is so friendly,” she said.

With Mike’s closing, some of the customers Sunday wondered where they would meet for morning coffee or noon lunches.

“We’ve asked that question,” Stan Sik said.

“It’s a sad day in Marshall,” said customer Bob Buysse.