COLUMBUS — There was one constant in Columbus and one stop everyone made while there: to stop and eat at Beckey's Cafe. Located right off the down- town district, Beckey's was home cooking for cowboys to lawyers, from bikers to real bikers.
Beckey Zajicek started Beck- ey's Cafe 20 years ago at 1237 Bowie St. in Columbus and has been serving up meals for breakfast and lunch ever since.
There comes a point when one has to hang up the spurs and call it a successful cattle drive and Beckey hangs up her apron and calls it a successful cafe.
Zajicek said, “I have been looking for the perfect person to continue the tradition of Beckey's Cafe. When Mattie expressed
interest in buying it, I was over- joyed! Beckey's Cafe has been open for 20 plus years and I am ready to do other things. I want to thank my loyal customers for their support and my employees who have worked so hard to make this business a success.”
Straying just a little outside the family, Zajicek turned over the reins to the new owner and op- erator, Mattie Sprague. Sprague's family is local family.
Sprague said she is staying with the tried and true recipes that Beckey's is famous for. If everyone loved Beckey's dewberry pies, the name says it all. Sprague is the one that has made these dewberry pies that are mouth-watering and very tasty.
Sprague's grandfather is the late Roy Cloat. Everyone from this area knows that Roy Cloat was a master on the pit and a chef on the grill. Sprague plans to in- corporate Cloat's mini-hot steak into the menu.
We will see what other recipes of Cloats land on the menu.
Stay tuned for opening day.
It is a new dawn and a new day with what is hoped to be a favorite, tried and true, for years to come.
