Midpoint Cafe reopens with new owners March 28

The landmark Midpoint Cafe and Gift Shop in Adrian, Texas, will hold its grand reopening for the season March 28 with its new owners, Brenda Hammit and Carrie O’Leary.

According to a post Thursday on the restaurant’s Facebook page, Hammit had worked at the Route 66 landmark for five years. Her sister, O’Leary, recently relocated to Adrian.

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They intend to carry on the same traditions that Dennis and Donna had at the Midpoint, offering delicious fresh made burgers and sandwiches, fantastic homemade “Midpoint Ugly” pie, a nicely stocked Midpoint and Route 66 Gift Shop, and more importantly; good ol’ Texas hospitality.

At this time, the cafe and gift shop will be open 7 days a week, from 8:30 to 4 p.m., with meal / grill service stopping at 3 p.m. They are currently working on the menu, but it will most likely remain similar to the previous menu, featuring our fresh Angus beef burgers and many other sandwiches. If anything changes, we will update this information.

Previous co-owner Dennis Purschwitz announced in early December he likely had new proprietors for the restaurant but declined to reveal their names. Former longtime owner Fran Houser revealed in a Facebook post later that month Hammit was one of the new owners.

During a telephone interview Thursday, Hammit said her mother, Sandi Adams of Adrian, would make the cafe’s famed pies.

When asked why she took the plunge into owning a restaurant, Hammit replied: “I’ve loved Route 66 for a long time. I worked at the Stuckey’s (in Adrian) for about 15 years. I love everybody; I love meeting the people from overseas. I love the people.”

Hammit said her sister likely would work in the front of the restaurant because “she’s a people person” who doesn’t have as much experience behind the grill. But Hammit reiterated she and her sister “will be all over the place” at the restaurant.

Purschwitz had owned the Midpoint since March 2012. Dennis announced in late 2016 he had put the restaurant on the market because of serious health issues.

Purschwitz didn’t make major changes to the Midpoint Cafe’s menu, including its famous pies, after he bought it almost six years ago. Most of the alterations were cosmetic or energy-efficiency upgrades.

But one big change was improving the “Midpoint of Route 66” marker across the road. Once a simple sign that denoted 1,139 miles to Chicago or Santa Monica, it became is a landscaped spot with flags, a windmill, a brick surface and other features that make it nicer-looking and better for photo opportunities.

The Midpoint, formerly known as Jesse’s Cafe, attracted notice for its small-town hospitality and what then were known as “ugly crust pies.” Houser, who owned the restaurant for over 20 years, gained fame when she served as an inspiration to the Flo character in the original Disney-Pixar “Cars” movie in 2006.

(Image of the Midpoint Cafe sign in Adrian, Texas, by Peer Lawther via Flickr)