A new day may be breaking for Aunt Martha’s Pancake House.
Shuttered more than six months ago by owner Brenda Freeman, the iconic Springfield breakfast cafe is on the market.
Listed for $469,700 by CJR Commercial Group, real estate agent Skip Liebman said he’s had interest in the 57-year-old business and currently is in talks with a buyer.
“They haven’t pulled the trigger yet, but I think they will,” he said.
Included in the price tag are all furniture, fixtures and equipment – untouched since the day the business closed, Liebman said. There’s also potential to sell the iconic Aunt Martha’s name.
“That’s between the seller and the buyer, but I wouldn’t rule it out of the realm of possibility,” he said.
A Queen City staple for nearly six decades, Martha Haworth – Slim Wilson’s sister and a well-known Springfield entertainer – launched the diner in 1959 and sold it in 1964 to Ruth Freeman, Brenda’s mother.
In its early days, the restaurant was known for spotting celebrities. Wilson, Red Foley, Chet Atkins and other entertainers who appeared on “Ozark Jubilee,” a popular television show that aired in the 1950s and ‘60s, were regulars. More recently, well-known figures ranging from NBC weatherman Willard Scott to former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft visited. Also, country music singer Willie Nelson stopped by in September 2003, according to
AuntMarthasPancake.com.
The 1700 E. Cherokee St. property is owned by the Brenda K. Freeman Trust, according to Greene County assessor records. The 24,219-square-foot lot – which fronts South Glenstone and East Cherokee – has a 2016 taxable appraised value of $188,900. The 2,160-square-foot building is valued at $29,300.
