Lunchtime at Wrink’s Market

On Friday, I paid a lunchtime visit to the newly resurrected Route 66 icon, Wrink’s Market of Lebanon, Mo.

Even though longtime Route 66 aficionados will see changes in Wrink’s that indicate the convenience store remains a work in progress, I noticed two things that should gladden their hearts:

• Terry Wrinkle, one of the sons of longtime Wrink’s operater Glenn Wrinkle, has carried on his father’s gift of gab. This is not a criticism.
• Wrink’s is again making sandwiches the old-fashioned way — only when they are ordered, and with fresh ingredients.

One thing veteran Route 66 travelers will notice is a new marquee above the original metal awning, adding “Historic” to the “Wrink’s Market” sign. A new Route 66 shield also is prominent. Although the architectural neon lights have been repaired, the original “Market” neon sign was regrettably sold at auction shortly after Glenn Wrinkle’s death at age 82 in 2005.

Inside, past shelves of snacks and a large cooler full of soft drinks, was the new deli area. I was pleased to see locals chatting as much as eating. Route 66 author Michael Wallis fondly calls these “liars’ tables.”

Deli manager Vicki was busy making sandwiches for the lunchtime crowd. You fill out a form checking off the meat, condiments, cheese and bread you want in your sandwich. One good sign was that she wrapped the to-go sandwiches in paper, not plastic.

There are seven types of meat available, including liver cheese and pickle loaf. And yes, the list includes radio host Paul Harvey’s favorite from Wrink’s, bologna.

The long list of condiments includes both mayonnaise and Miracle Whip (sandwich buffs know the difference), along with tomato and the uncommonly seen bread-and-butter pickles.

By the way, Terry Wrinkle buys his tomatoes from local farmers, like his dad did. That’s why the tomatoes have so much flavor, unlike supermarket tomatoes.

I ordered the 99-cent special — chopped ham sandwich with tomato, mayo and bread-and-butter pickles on wheat bread.

The sandwich was juicy and tasty. It reminded me of the hand-crafted sandwiches at Eisler Bros. Store in Riverton, Kan. It seems simple. But a freshly made sandwich will hands-down beat a sandwich that sits for hours in a refrigerator case.

Although hoagie buns and Texas toast are available, Terry Wrinkle says most locals stick with the white or wheat bread.

“We tried to do some things differently, but people like the way he (Glenn Wrinkle) did it,” he said.

“And that’s what we’re doing now.”

Many of the store’s old coolers and freezers are gone, simply because they were shot, Terry Wrinkle says. One of them left “an inch of rust” when it was removed.

But he’s busy trying to transform Wrink’s into sort of a local history museum. These photos shown below are on the beverages cooler, and Terry Wrinkle vows to cover the entire cooler with them.

Plenty of other memorabilia, brought in by longtime customers or from the Wrinkle family collection, eventually will be displayed.

There’s room for new stuff, too. These T-shirts and ball caps feature the new Wrink’s logo, drawn by Terry Wrinkle himself. T-shirts are priced at $9.99.

On the original counter where his dad once sat is a guest book. Wrink’s reopened less than two weeks ago, but the book already contains signatures of travelers from Illinois, Ohio, California, Washington, Florida, Michigan and El Salvador.

Terry Wrinkle worked for his father beginning at age 4. He’ll draw from those experiences, plus working for three years at QuikTrip in Kansas City, to keep Wrink’s running smoothly and profitably.

Storytelling ability must be passed on genetically. Like his father, Terry Wrinkle spun dozens of yarns while I was there. Ask him about the 180,000 pennies he found in the store. Ask him about his father’s football prowess. Ask him about the pranks that he and his dad pulled on longtime customers. Ask him about the giant cigarette lighter on the counter.

Shortly after his father’s death, two women rented the Wrink’s building for two years but never reopened it. The two eventually were evicted. During an auction to liquidate their inventory, Terry Wrinkle said he got the itch to reopen Wrink’s himself.

“During the auction, I saw a lot of people and saw the place come alive a little bit,” he said. “I wanted to see it run. I didn’t want to see it die again.”

We briefly stopped our conversation so Terry Wrinkle could conduct a transaction with a customer.

“Thanks for coming here,” Terry Wrinkle said when he handed him his change.

“I’m glad you’re here,” the man said.

I and many other Route 66ers agree.

(Wrink’s Market, at 135 Wrinkle Ave. in Lebanon, Mo., is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day but Sunday. Its phone number is 417-588-8966.)