The event made national news. An AU student from the Plainsman took my photograph as I was walking through the intersection at Gay and Magnolia. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. These photos bring back so many memories! Click here. Morris takes pride in the large portions. There was a dentists office along with an attorneys office on the second floor over the Kopper Kettle.. Copyright Indiana Owned 2023. It had a liquor license and a lively bar, but by the late 1990s, George and Penny decided to serve just breakfast and lunch. CLICK HERE TO TURN ON NOTIFICATIONS. We use our own and third party cookies to allow us to understand how the site is used and to support our marketing campaigns. Dang I dont remember it looking that devastated. After 55 years of ownership, Richard Kapala and his wife, Laurel, are selling the building and with it, the business. Charles Britt of Auburn United Methodist Church barely made it through the red light at the corner of Magnolia and Gay before the blast. Then 19-year-old firefighter Johnny Lawrence, now a Lee County commissioner, helped man one of the hand lines. That sounded rather suspect to meuntil someone gave me a book a couple of years ago that had that story in it. Next the cardboard panels stuck in the (I think there were six vents in the block base of those glass windows) blew out and the building rattled. Still, she does big business on Saturday mornings, when Pineville families come in for breakfast. Hopefully something better goes in there. I love this place.. He opened Kopper Kettle with his wife, Penny, in 1971, when their stretch of Nations Ford Road was miles of open fields and a few trailers. and our house shook like it had been hit by lightening. Its an institution.. (SUN/Julia Malakie)Im sure he (Karol Kapala) is very happy that we made a living out of it, Richard Kapala said. I came here with the idea that it was going to be temporary, she says, like I would try to wrap my head around the business and maybe sell it or whatever. Owners Stephen Eckler, 68, of Ivyland, and Robert Yost, 52, of Southampton, allegedly did not report $263,340 in cash wages to dishwashers between March 2012 and September 2016. Its great to be a part of their (the customers) history, Laurel Kapala said. A year or so later, he bought the other share. Low 66F. But some longtime customers arent ready to move on. The Kopper Kettle used to serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. "From north Auburn, you could see the plume of smoke on the horizon in that high spot, so I had an idea that there was something big going on," he said. Lawrence, too, remembers details of the scene, especially the cold. Stephen Eckler, 68, of Ivyland, pleaded guilty on Thursday to charges of willful failure to pay employment taxes, according to the office of U.S. Attorney William McSwain. He hung a left on Glenn Avenue and made his way up College Street before turning down Magnolia. The Kopper Kettle used to serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Much to everyones relief, not a single person was killed that day and no life-threatening injuries were sustained. "Criminals like Eckler chip away at the integrity of the system, which has a ripple effect on everyone in the community. (SUN/Julia Malakie)A couple chairs down, 63-year-old Luis Velazquez clutched a Michelob Ultra. Keep it Clean. "The Kopper Kettle explosion was the big event while I was at Auburn. I get emotional just talking about it, Morris admits. How no one was hurt or killed is beyond my comprehension. My pals and I spent many a wee hour sobering up in that building. There was a Kopper Kettle in Brookwood Mall at that time, and the food was pretty good, if I remember. 1978 THE KOPPER KETTLE EXPLODED. Dick Kapala, bartender and co-owner of Cappys Copper Kettle, center, with customer and fill-in bartender George Saba of Lowell, left, and Luis Velazquez of Lowell, right. I had just bought my 1st camera. Rod Sinclair was preparing for the 8:30 a.m. service when the explosion happened, knocking him to his knees. Upon reconstruction, windows were added, which was the first step in changing the vibe inside. Great pics from Brad. Flights . "Somebody out there stepped on a nail and it punctured his foot. Knock my wife out of bed at the BSU on college. When I got back to the apartment, my roomie came out to the car and said, "Remember that noise this morning?" Morris, who says cooking is one of her favorite pastimes, will sometimes whip something up in the kitchen to make a snack for herself, and twice now those snacks have landed on the menu. It felt like a car had crashed into the building under my bedroom window. I work days and he works nights, Laurel said on a recent Wednesday. Photo #85 is me! We'd love to hear eyewitness They were hooking up hand lines from other sections of the town, different fireplugs.". that is degrading to another person. Award-winning Alabama Living is the official statewide publication of the electric cooperatives in Alabama and the largest magazine of its type in the state, reaching some 400,000 electric cooperative consumers. Rock and roll bands would play on weekend nights while customers danced. The streets were empty as Jim Patterson, an Auburn student, made his way from his apartment on Thach Avenue to St. Dunstans Episcopal Church on nearby Magnolia Avenue to catch the morning worship service. Many of the businesses had not opened yet, but there were students living in apartments above those businesses. See the differences between multiple units in the same complex and find the best rates. The restaurant's owners are facing federal tax charges after the allegedly failed to report employee wages. Not bad for a small bar, Laurel Kapala said. Since you viewed this item previously you can read it again. Im so thankful Auburn was small and slow back then. or anything. The high cost of ingredients has taken a toll. It was just like the movies you see on TV where there is a big explosion, the building rocks and all the windows start moving around, Patterson says. Useful. The couple has listed the building and business on the market, and hope to finalize a sale later this year. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. That old 68 Nova shook pretty hard! Throughout the 70s and 80s, the location served as a wholesome family diner by day and a bar and lounge by night. Its such a gem, she says. It was kind of a wild place for dinner back in the day, recalls Sara Morris, the Karnesis daughter, born just four months after the restaurant opened. WOW! "For our federal tax system to work properly, businesses need to accurately report the wages paid to their employees," McSwain said. Its not just the great food or even her Kopper Kettle family that keeps her around, however; theres also her real family to think about. COVID brought some changes, of course. You could see down into the cellar. For retired Auburn firefighter Allen McCord, Jan. 15, 1978, began much like any other Sunday morning shift except the air was bitterly cold and carried the scent of natural gas. Thank you for reading! That was the concern; nobody knew where they were at.. People are also reading More than 70 businesses in the immediate vicinity were damaged . Required fields are marked *. They hope to finalize the sale this year. I was working at the old Spur station on the corner of Gay and Glenn. So I dozed back to sleep! I was living at Dexter Arms apartments, across from Hardees, several blocks away. When Penny calls during our interview to find out what time Morris will pick up her dad, the conversation is half in Greek, half in English. The Kapalas hope to travel with their free time, but plan to visit the bar even after the sale. He was there on the infamous night in February 1967 when Speros Kokenes, who owned The Open Kitchen with his brother, Steve, was carjacked and murdered in what was believed to be a botched armed robbery. And it got up to like 27 degrees that day," he recalls. 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They're spirits of loved ones, Lowell Catholic boys basketball team blows out Belchertown, Toddler safe, car theft suspects apprehended, No end in sight for case involving Dracut doc charged with patient's death, MVC girls basketball: Dracut's Ashlee Talbot named Div. No one even thought about looting or taking something that did not belong to us. As with the Smash Pot, Morris came up with the idea as a way to satisfy her own craving on a slow morning in the kitchen. Larry was in his building on the second floor when all this occurred. The anniversary and a sermon given shortly after the blast by the Rev. Called off services due to potential other gas leaks. accounts, the history behind an article. His diploma ended up on the library lawn (if I recall) and his bar papers DID end up in his mother's yard, wherever that was. On Sunday morning, January 15, 1978, several businesses on East Magnolia Ave in downtown Auburn were destroyed in an explosion caused by a natural gas leak beneath the restaurant. Theyre heavy-handed in the kitchen, she says, and I like that.. Even into her 90s, Brooks and her friends had their own table at the bar. In 1981, the bar expanded into the space next door. On Sunday morning, January 15, 1978, half a block of businesses on East Magnolia Avenue in downtown Auburn blew the hell up (kapow, boom, war-zone), chief am. Now the Kapalas hire a DJ to spin tracks on Friday and Saturday nights. Hashbrowns pitched at me by the owner. Then, everything changed, as a natural gas explosion rocked downtown, destroying Kopper Kettle restaurant, a dentist's office and other businesses by the northwest corner of Gay Street and Magnolia Avenue. person will not be tolerated. To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com. Had glass replaced, frame and hung in new office in Opelika. We were all so grateful that there were no fatalities, Patterson says. The restaurant pays particular attention to the choice of local products, among which we find renowned specialties such as Chianina PGI beef, Cinta Senese cold cuts and fine . Required fields are marked *, Like this story? Auburns was all greasy spoon and stuff. I lived on W Magnolia at Lambda Chi house. "The chief was there directing the ladder trucks in, directing me in, but I thought he was getting me way too close," he said. On one occasion about 15 years ago, Laurel cut off a young man who had too much to drink. The Kopper Kettle . First the lights flickered. Join over 20,000 Charlotte residents who receive our daily updates. On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Mixed bands of pro-papal Guelf forces of Florence and allies, Pistoia, Lucca, Siena, and Prato, all loosely commanded by the paid condottiero Amerigo di Narbona with his own professional following, met a Ghibelline force from Arezzo including the perhaps reluctant bishop, Guglielmino degli Ubertini, in . Protect Your Home from Ticks with Yard Guard from Viking Pest, Larry P. Pelullo, Retired Carpenter with over 30 years Experience, Open Houses Planned In The Bensalem Area: Here Are The Latest 3 Listings, State Sen. Farry Launches Satellite Office Hours In Bucks. He was there on the infamous night in February 1967 when Speros Kokenes, who owned The Open Kitchen with his brother, Steve, was carjacked and murdered in what was believed to be a botched armed robbery. Firefighters continued working on the blaze and to keep the natural gas fires under control for the rest of the day. Its Pronounced Jordan: Time to rebrand the Auburn-Georgia rivalry? I remember the blast. I remember people showing up at our house with charts and billing statements to give my parents, and other things they found in their yards! I-77 was still under construction. A young black girl tells Morris she didnt eat breakfast because shes refusing to eat anything until her mom lets her have pizza, to which Morris responds, Completely understandable.. Delivery & Pickup Options - 445 reviews of Kopper Kettle "If for some reason you find yourself driving through Yucaipa, and trying to decide between Denny's, Domino's or Del Taco, do yourself a favor and pick this place instead. The Kopper Kettle Inn is open to serve you on the following holidays, https://www.indianaoriginals.com/listing/kopper-kettle-restaurant-caterer/. Where I am standing is no more than 40 feet from the blast site and you can see the stacks of plates that are unharmed! So how is being a counselor similar to running a restaurant? Alabama Snapshots: Babys First Christmas, 340 TechnaCenter Drive, Montgomery, AL 36117, Chef and son put a New Orleans spin on classic fare, Electric co-ops benefit from connections in the Legislature. All Rights Reserved, On Sunday, October 28, 2018, Terri Stacy and Mel McMahon. Holy crap---a house blew up couple streets over from us! 104. He said he told the fire captain he smelled natural gas at the corner and then began getting ready to work that day, putting on his uniform in the bathroom of the fire station at the corner of Magnolia and Ross Street. Description: Restaurant La Bucaccia is housed in a beautiful historic building of Cortona and is distinguished by quality, local and seasonal ingredients used to prepare exquisite traditional dishes of the Tuscan cuisine. Not sure why you got downvoted, but despite the food being good the dining room was far from clean. Either that or one that was equally trashed. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. After breakfast, our family drove as close to downtown as possible to see the damage. We went running downtown and were just amazed at the damage at so many businesses.