After 22 years, Barr’s Cafe closes

Published 5:00 am Friday, September 16, 2005

A mainstay in Prineville’s restaurant scene, Barr’s Cafe, closed Wednesday after serving home-cooked soups, hot meals and fresh pastries for nearly 22 years.

Restaurant owner Mark Severson closed because he was ”just getting tired.”

”I decided to take a break, take time off, rest and regroup,” said Severson, who also works as an insurance agent. ”Down the road, I may open something again.”

Mazatlan Family Mexican Restaurants will replace the cafe in about three or four months. The chain has about 12 other establishments in Oregon and Washington, said Andres Robles, manager of the Redmond Mazatlan.

Barr’s Cafe was a local favorite among customers and employees, with chicken-fried steak the most popular order, Severson said. More than 15 varieties of pie also proved popular.

Darlyne Green, Barr’s baker for almost 20 years, arrived at 4 a.m. to make all the pastries from scratch.

Severson has worked in the restaurant industry for 32 years, beginning as a dishwasher when he was 15 and gradually moving up the ranks until he bought Barr’s at 25. The restaurant operated 24 hours a day for the next 15 years.

The long hours and hard work finally wore Severson out. His customers, however, were not ready to lose him.

”We’ve had a huge emotional response to the closing,” Severson said Thursday. ”A lot of old, dear customers have been really emotional these past couple days. It’s been hard.”

Severson plans to continue his work as an insurance agent at the American Family Insurance Agency. His brother and restaurant manager, Todd Severson, also will join the insurance business.