A symbol of my family’s history was severely damaged by a fire this spring.

The building that housed Ivanhoe’s former Eagle Cafe caught fire in April in a midnight blaze. Fire departments from as far away as Marshall and Canby responded to the Ivanhoe Fire Department’s call for assistance.

Much of the roof collapsed and part of the second floor had extensive damage. The owner published a full damage assessment report in the Ivanhoe Times, and has pledged to rebuild.

I hope he’s successful. I hope the building can once again become a valuable part of the Ivanhoe community.

Its history includes my grandparents. My grandfather, Lou Muchlinski, played cards in the Eagle Cafe. He used to take us grandchildren to the cafe for candy, soda pop and sports cards.

The fire made me think about the overall demise of local cafes in the region. We used to have many that served as gathering places as well as destinations for good food.

In Marshall we had Raine’s Cafe with Art Raine, the Minnesota cafe with the Eatros brothers, James Jr. and Alex, and Stan’s Cafe in the location that’s now Mariachi’s. Those are just three examples.

There are plenty of others in nearby towns. We had the M&M Cafe in Ghent, Darlene’s Cafe in Minneota. Rusty’s Corner Cafe in Taunton, Ruth’s Cafe in Wood Lake, the Red Rooster Cafe in Tracy, and Lange’s Cafe in Pipestone. There were many others.

I’m not sure why they disappeared. I think a main reason is that most people in the 21st century, even many senior citizens, lead busy lives. They don’t have time for a leisurely meal or a long conversation with relatives or friends.

In Marshall the cafes have been replaced by coffee shops. These have a different atmosphere.

They’re more refined. They tend to have exotic menu items, gourmet coffees, and art work on the walls.

That doesn’t mean they’re better than the traditional cafes. It’s hard to compare. They’re different. They have different groups of people as core customers.

The cafes never needed to be elaborate. They were down home, simply furnished places. They earned their reputation by having good home style meals. They had coffee that was simply good traditional coffee.

If you were in a town you didn’t know and you were hungry, you could always ask someone for a good eating place. They’d probably name the local cafe. You could rely on the recommendation.

It would be great if the cafes make a comeback in the future. It depends on if enough people want them.

There’s also the question of dollars and cents. It’s a challenge for any small business to offer quality at a price that’s favorable enough to attract a wide range of customers.

It’s hard to make it with just one cafe or just one coffee shop. The business chains have largely taken over, especially in big cities.

Some owners have found a niche in downtown areas, smaller cities or resort communities. I definitely hope that continues.

I like places that have character, that have their own unique identity. It’s better than what you get from chain establishments, where every place is pretty much the same as all of its counterparts throughout the Midwest, the United States, or the world.

I’m left with good memories of the traditional cafes. I’m left with something I can recall for my nieces and nephew, and for readers of my columns. They served millions of customers, and almost always served them well.

— Jim Muchlinski is a longtime reporter and contributor to the Marshall Independent