Charlie Knight enjoys food. He enjoys food so much that he and his business partner, Julie Casey, opened Charlie’s Country Mart Café, 24403 Hwy. 86, near Newtonia.
“I always liked to eat, so I did not mind cooking,” Knight said.
A few years ago, Knight and Kathy Moore co-owned Charley’s Grill in Neosho for about two years.
“I went to Charley’s (Sanders) cooking school,” he said laughing. “I went to work for him a month before we took over.”
The restaurant is housed in the former Country Mart, which used to have a restaurant, convenience store and sold gasoline as well.
The co-owners decided to embark on the opening of the restaurant in mid-August and opened in late August.
“It took us two weeks to remodel it and move everything around,” Knight said. “We got it all painted up.”
The restaurant is open from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday and Knight said on Friday and Saturday, it will re-open from 6-8 p.m.
“We come back in at 6 to 8 p.m. for sure but on football night at (East Newton High School) home, we will stay open (later),” he said.
The restaurant offers breakfast items including eggs, toast, bacon, omelets, pancakes, French toast and, of course, coffee and other breakfast drinks.
For lunch, the eatery offer hamburgers, Frito pie and chicken strips, to name a few.
Asked what is something unique on the menu, Knight said the Frito pie.
“Everybody loves it because it is quick and easy, it is good, the chili makes it all good,” he said. “I also do the grilled onions if you want them on your hamburger.”
Knight stated that since they have been open, business has been “really pretty decent.”
“After I worked at Charley’s, I got to kind of liking (to talk) with the people, sit down and drink coffee,” he said. “It seems like down here, I get to do a little more of that.”
The restaurant can accommodate up to 38 people. Customers can dine inside or order their food to go.
“Everything is going pretty good,” Knight said. “The people have been so nice.”
For more information, please call 472-6488.
