Artwork by
Dennis Murphy

For the students, by the students

Come Shoot the Bull With Us
Amanda Schad, CAFNR Corner Post Reporter

Sept. 15, 2003-The Bull Pen Café, housed in a small building on Business Loop 70, invites locals to "come shoot the bull" with them. It's a very popular restaurant and it's easy to see why.

The atmosphere is homey and inviting. There are Holstein cows decorating the walls and red gingham curtains on the windows. Two sets of bull horns adorn the wall. A daily special sign informs customers of the choice of the day.

Noontime usually finds the parking lot full. "We have regulars that come in every day. Sometimes I wonder if they ever leave," said Paula Dyer with a smile. Dyer has been working at the café for a week and a half, but remembers eating at the restaurant ever since she was a kid.

One of the "regulars" is Bandy Jacobs, now a part owner of the establishment. When asked how long he had been coming to the Bull Pen, Jacobs laughed and said, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you…since '47."

It's more than the good food, served up by a seasoned staff, that keeps these people coming back for more. They enjoy visiting and spending time with each other. Conversations are often sprinkled with talk of ball games, politics, and family, but this daily routine may end soon. The owners of the building the restaurant is housed in are going to sell. After serving the Columbia community for over 60 years, the Bull Pen is in danger of closing.

However, there is hope. "If the people that buy the building let us stay, we'll stay," said Debbie McFarland, long time employee of Bull Pen. Dyer would like nothing better. Although she will be out of a job if it closes and doesn't know what she'll do, she likes to stay positive. "I just have faith it's not going to close," Dyer said.

Full story posted 9/24/03

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