Think Nevada, not Ames, for the six "Mystery Café" photos published in the Tribune. Ames Historical Society wishes to thank the 20 or so readers who called to provide information about these pictures. History detectives helping to solve the mystery included former employees and patrons of the restaurant, friends of the operators and a relative.
(photos courtesy of Jerry Litzel)
The unknown restaurant is Mendy’s Café in Nevada owned and operated by Galen "Breezy" Carr and his wife, Letha, shown in one of the photos. The business was active from about 1950 to 1955 at 614 Lincoln Way, across the street from present-day Minsky’s Pizza. One can still see the brick pattern of a former curved window on the façade of the building now numbered 616 Lincoln Way. An earlier Mendy’s, owned by Gordon Bivens and Harry Turkington, was located at 1139 6th Street.
The café was open Monday through Saturday from 5:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Seating for 35-40 people was available at the counter, booths and tables. Letha cooked breakfast while Galen was busy delivering pies in Ames. Upon his return, Galen helped in the kitchen with his cooking skills. Pat (Terhune) Fawcett of Nevada worked for Letha as a waitress, part-time during the school year 1951-1952, and full-time during that summer. Pat vividly recalls the daily routine of setting out coffee cups at all seats around 9:00 in the morning: "This was in anticipation of the arrival of Donnelley employees taking their coffee break. When we looked out the window and saw the women approaching, we started pouring coffee." [Reuben H. Donnelley Corp. was located in downtown Nevada at that time.] Regular patrons knew to avoid the café during these Donnelley coffee breaks. Ashtrays were in great demand as the room quickly filled with cigarette smoke. Pat was paid 50 cents an hour, but relied heavily on tips as well. Sandwiches and hot plates were the staples – beef, pork, steak and meatloaf. A huge selection of pies was available from the Carr family’s pie business in Ames. According to Pat, "Nevada restaurants were few in number in those days, so business was always brisk. The closest competition was a Maid-Rite just east on the alley." Galen’s nephew, James Carr, also confirms, from his perspective as a teenage dishwasher at Mendy’s, that the restaurant was a busy place.
For the record, this Carr family was not related to the other Carr’s in Ames (Carr Bakery at 223 Main Street, Carr Hardware or Carr’s Pool). The family ran Bert Carr & Son Pie Shop from Bert’s mother’s home on East Seventh Street. Bert became known locally as "the pie man." The efficient home production line made use of stacking ovens in the kitchen and adequate work and storage space. Ingredients were purchased in bulk: flour and sugar in 50-pound barrels, and canned fruit in gallon cans. Ames Fruit and Grocery supplied the latter, sometimes at the rate of 30 cases a week. Although it’s hard to imagine, 200 pies a day could be baked and delivered to local restaurants, fraternities and sororities. It has been estimated that 95% of the eateries in Ames and Campustown were provided with pies from Carr’s Pie Shop. Overland Café, in the bus depot, would typically order 15-20 pies, as did other establishments. Galen made deliveries in his car, making use of pie carriers in the back seat and trunk to accommodate 40-50 pies at a time. The pies were sold for 40 cents each for any flavor. Restaurants cut the pies into pieces, re-selling them for 15 cents a slice. In those days, 40 cents could buy a whole meal and coffee was a nickel a cup.
Galen was born in Ames in 1908, the son of Bert and Clara Carr, and died here in 2004. He earned his nickname from the fact that he was considered a nonstop "chatterbox." Drafted into the Army at age 36, he drove ambulances and learned cooking during World War II. After the war, he assisted in the family pie venture. Around Ames he was known as a snappy dresser, whether at work or at leisure. Friends recall that he sported a new suit and shoes each weekend at dances held in the Legion and Moose halls. James Carr confirms that Galen spared no expense when it came to clothes: "He paid big bucks – hundreds of dollars for a suit even in difficult times. He was easily the best-dressed man in Ames." Galen also had a fascination for cars, buying a new Buick every two years. All this pizzazz evidently impressed the ladies, for he was married six times. Laughing, James ticks off the names of the wives in chronological order: "There was Babe, Clara, Letha, Evelyn, Dorothy and Thelma." Although Galen left no children, the many stories prompted by these unidentified photos attest to his legacy in Ames and Nevada.
By Dennis Wendell, based on interviews with Jerry Litzel, Pat (Terhune) Fawcett, Hugo Jelden, Delbert Johnson and James Carr.
Special thanks to those who notified us with information and leads: Bill Valline, Chuck Van Voorhis, Jim Carr, Pat Burns, Marlyn Engelson, Gene Demaray, Marla Reedholm, Mary Hage, Marion Mehle, Loren Muntz, Roger Oliver, Delbert Johnson, Darlene Allen, and Bob (last name is a mystery). More names will be added soon.