EDMOND — A lot of things aren’t like they used to be, but every once in a while, you can find a little corner of the world where change has not erased the reality of the good old days. One of those places is the Kumback Café in Perry.

Founded in 1926, the Kumback claims to be the oldest café in Oklahoma with the same name and same location.

The original building burned in 1941, but, like the Phoenix, it was resurrected and remains a fixture on the north side of the town’s courthouse square. It was first owned by Eddie Parker, who was legendary not only for his good food but for his generosity. Many stories are told about famous and infamous people who have eaten here.

The original café was tiny — only six stools at the counter. One night, in the ’30s, a gunman entered the eatery. “You need to tell your customers to leave,” he told Eddie, who was cooking behind the counter. Eddie complied and locked the door as the other diners left.

From seeing a limo outside, Eddie knew this wasn’t any ordinary stick-up. The gunman told Eddie he wasn’t there to rob the place. “I want the biggest steak in the house,” he told the wary owner.

The unwanted guest put his gun on the floor and sat on one of the stools, talking, as Eddie cooked steak and eggs. “He was kind of pleasant,” Eddie related later. “He ate and paid his bill — $1.50 — and left the biggest tip I’d ever had, 10 or 20 dollars.”

As Eddie unlocked the door, the man turned to him and said, “Do you know who I am?”

“No, sir,” Eddie replied.

“I’m Pretty Boy Floyd,” he said, as he went out the door.

It was a story that Eddie dined on for many years. The Kumback, officially named Kumback Lunch, became a gathering spot for the whole town of Perry and any notables who were passing through. Politicians campaigned here and Gov. E.W. Marland was a regular visitor. He even loaned Eddie money when things got difficult during the Depression.

During World War II, Eddie gave a free steak to any soldier in uniform. And any member of the Perry baseball team who hit a home run got the same treatment.

And he gave a job to 13-year-old Tony Macias, a budding athlete in the town. Tony went on to attend the University of Oklahoma where he was a standout wrestler, named All-American in 1960. Tony married his high-school sweetheart, Marilee, and the couple moved to Oregon where he was coaching at a junior college.

Eddie, in the meantime, had turned the operation of the restaurant over to his wife, Kate. She ran the business until 1973. When she was ready to retire, she remembered Tony and called him to see if he would be interested in buying the restaurant. Tony and Marilee returned to Perry to continue the tradition of the Kumback Café.

The restaurant has grown through the years, but some things haven’t changed. The Art Deco marquis still hangs over the door, its neon sign signaling a great place to stop for a bite. A section of glass tiles accents the deco décor.

Inside, the walls are covered with years of photos — of celebrity visitors, local sports teams and vintage signs.  There’s even an OSU Pistol Pete on one wall. Tony, true to his Sooner roots, likes to tell folks that it was an Aggie who named the café, trying to spell “Come Back.”

There are lots of reasons to return. Almost everything is homemade. Barbecue is a favorite selection, but, for me, there’s only one true test of a good Oklahoma restaurant — chicken-fried steak. Tony cuts the meat himself and it’s all fresh and hand-breaded. It’s served with real mashed potatoes — you’d be surprised how many restaurants use instant — and cream gravy. The meat was so tender I could cut it with my fork. The gravy was smooth and creamy with just a kick of pepper.

No one should leave without a piece of pie — all home-made either by Tony or by Nancy Alexander, who has been baking for the Kumback for 15 or 20 years. Coconut is the most popular selection but I went for the lemon meringue — worth every calorie.

The Kumback starts rocking early. It opens at 6 a.m. — Tony’s already there baking bread and pies — and by 9 a.m. the regulars have assembled — the guys at one big table and the gals, known as the Kumback Koffee Klub, at another. “That’s the way they start their day,” Marilee Macias says.

Some things are just too good to be messed with. A meal at the Kumback Café is one of them. Located at 625 Delaware, the restaurant is open from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.  The restaurant is closed on Sundays. Stop by for a tasty treat and a little nostalgia — you’ll want to come back.



ELAINE WARNER is an Edmond resident.