The Worcester native enjoys road trips and hiking. You have permission to edit this article. At 8:13 a.m., the Kopper Kettle, a restaurant located in the heart of downtown Auburn, exploded due to a gas leak, taking out several neighboring businesses and shaking the town to its core. When her dad, George Karnezis, had a stroke in 2014, she stepped in to run her parents restaurant, Raise a Glass Ceiling: Inside Craft Brewing's The Pink Boots Society, Where to Eat in Charlotte's South End: 2023, Curated For You: MyNewFloor.com Makes Flooring Easy, The Making of Childrens Theatre of Charlottes Production of The Night Diary, How Being on Summer Camp Staff Impacted My Life, Oh, Rats! Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Her first creation, the Smash Pot, features a large serving of grilled potatoes, peppers, onions, tomatoes and bacon or sausage with two over-medium eggs placed on top though it comes fully customizable. The Kapalas hope to travel with their free time, but plan to visit the bar even after the sale. racist or sexually-oriented language. Nicole DeFeudis covers early morning news and general assignment stories. The water, it wouldnt freeze immediately, but it was icy because of the water we were using.". https://www.coldwellbankerhomes.com/pa/feasterville-trevose/1985-bridgetown-pike/pid_31709455/ https://www.justice.gov/usao-edpa/pr/bucks-county-bar-and-restaurant-owners-charged-tax-offenses comments sorted by Best Top New Controversial Q&A tor29c Just amazing that no one was killed. "I have to think it was divine intervention that nobody got hurt," said McCord. It remains one of Charlotte's most famous unsolved murders. I was one of the first Uniform Police Officers on the scene. He sleepily said, "Must be somebody lighting dynamite in the parking lot." In the years since she took over for her parents, Morris hasnt changed the menu much: biscuits and egg platters for breakfast, along with a signature dish, The Original Smash Pot, a heap of potatoes topped with cheese, onions, peppers, tomatoes, and sausage or bacon. Lunch is salads and sandwiches, including Kopper Kettles own version of a Philly cheesesteak, with tender chunks of pot roast under a blanket of melted provolone and a side of au jus. Charles Britt of Auburn United Methodist Church barely made it through the red light at the corner of Magnolia and Gay before the blast. He said he told the fire captain he smelled natural gas at the corner and then began getting ready to work that day, putting on his uniform in the bathroom of the fire station at the corner of Magnolia and Ross Street. Threats of harming another More than 70 businesses in the immediate vicinity were damaged . I thought my 1 1/2 year old fell out of bed when it blew. As a result, Eckler and Yost failed to collect and pay employment taxes to the IRS, including Social Security tax and Medicare tax, the U.S. Attorney's office said. This is the second post in a three-part series commemorating the 33rd anniversary of the day the Kopper Kettle blew up (and celebrating the scores of injuries and deaths that miraculously did not occur remember the song The Kettles Gone? Michael Tanenbaum Shes got a whole sheaf of notes in a drawer by the cash register with things her father, now 84, tells her. Karol Kapala would tell Richard that he caught the large brown fish. An Irish band plays from 2 to 8 p.m., but some regulars arrive early in the morning to claim their tables. He told me later when I asked was the car a total loss. A week later, the man returned to the bar and told Laurel that he spoke with Richard. Hashbrowns pitched at me by the owner. Frank DeGraffenreid w/ hat. So I dozed back to sleep! Be Proactive. Hmmm. The Copper Kettle opened as a bar in the late 1930s. I got out of bed to look out the window to see. We went running downtown and were just amazed at the damage at so many businesses. Much to everyones relief, not a single person was killed that day and no life-threatening injuries were sustained. Don't Threaten. It was just an incredible experience.. At breakfast, I remember my mother saying there was a really big Boom ! Thanks! So how is being a counselor similar to running a restaurant? Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading. It was his (Karols) lifelong dream, Richard Kapala said. Flights . The explosion made national news that night in 1978. Ells have been added, porches attached, stairways built, and patios and gardens laid out. Now the Kapalas hire a DJ to spin tracks on Friday and Saturday nights. Sara Morris, owner and operator of Kopper Kettle. Comment *document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a112c2e80c212193dd17c68f8a42bb39" );document.getElementById("b526024170").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Kopper Kettle Owner Adapts Through Generational Changes. McCord said he later went to the top of the ladder's fly section, which was extended some 70 feet in the air, to spray water on the blaze. Failure to report these wages allowed the restaurant to avoid paying FICA taxes, which include Social Security and Medicare taxes, authorities said. It BLEW UP!" "There were little fires there out in the street and all kinds of bricks and boards with nails sticking up and everything. Hes frequented the bar for years, and visits the Kapalas at least four or five days per week. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. You could see down into the cellar. The high cost of ingredients has taken a toll. But some longtime customers arent ready to move on. As much time as she spent in the smoke-filled diner, however, she never imagined shed one day be running it. Some stories want aroundthe joke that "somebody lit a match to the Kopper Kettle's chili", etc. Do you have any stories from that day? Found out later that day what had happened. I came here with the idea that it was going to be temporary, she says, like I would try to wrap my head around the business and maybe sell it or whatever. Ells have been added, porches attached, stairways built, and patios and gardens laid out. Its not just the great food or even her Kopper Kettle family that keeps her around, however; theres also her real family to think about. Theyre heavy-handed in the kitchen, she says, and I like that.. As with the Smash Pot, Morris came up with the idea as a way to satisfy her own craving on a slow morning in the kitchen. For 35 years, the Kopper Kettle has provided customers with a family owned place to enjoy breakfast and lunch,. Then 19-year-old firefighter Johnny Lawrence, now a Lee County commissioner, helped man one of the hand lines. First the lights flickered. Not sure why you got downvoted, but despite the food being good the dining room was far from clean. It is still hard to believe it happened! I just thought about it. "Our tax system requires businesspeople to truthfully report the wages paid to their employees," U.S. Attorney William McSwain said. We learn about the restaurant serving Hoosiers and guests for 91 years, how to keep traditions alive while staying relevant, and thoughts about buying an existing restaurant. We are a family style dining restaurant, known for our famous pan fried chicken, delicious filet mignon and fresh seafood. The jukebox is gone, and the smoke clouds have long since cleared out, although that took some time. I lived on W Magnolia at Lambda Chi house. Eckler and Yost, if convicted, could face up to five years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine and full restitution to the IRS. They've been there forever. She used to comp their meals, but she cant afford to do that anymore. 104. Great pics from Brad. Another witness, a Vietnam veteran, said that it was the most devastating aftermath he had witnessed since returning from the war. Thats a loaded one, she says, pausing to think it over. Cloudy. The most comprehensive restaurant menus & dish reviews site - Zmenu The restaurant was closed at the time of the blast, according to a report by ABC News. In 1965, Karol passed away from heart disease. I remember associating the other one with upscale after church eating. Every day, something happens, Laurel Kapala said, recalling more silly stories. At that time, Auburn was a sleepy little village still on the cusp of the economic boom it would see years later. His diploma ended up on the library lawn (if I recall) and his bar papers DID end up in his mother's yard, wherever that was. Find out what works well at Kopper Kettle from the people who know best. Behind the bar, a red Yuengling sign illuminates a wood-paneled wall with inlaid fish. "Somebody out there stepped on a nail and it punctured his foot. Your email address will not be published. With her family in crisis, Morris, a counselor by trade, resigned from her job as a health educator at North Central Family Medical Center in Rock Hill and took charge of the Kettle. Stephen Eckler, 68, of Ivyland, pleaded guilty on. I-77 was still under construction. Thank you for signing in! It rocked us! "It was just like, Holy moly. You look there, and theres this whole section of the block thats gone," he said. Kopper Kettle in Feasterville is up for sale, plus owners charged with tax evasion Pretty sad news. Pick and Andy Gentry. (Photo by Ryan Pitkin) A bird's-eye-view picture of the restaurant and the land around it that was taken in 1971 hangs on the wall near the cash register today, and it shows just how isolated the Kopper Kettle was three residential trailers are all that can be seen nearby. The Battle of Campaldino was a battle between the Guelphs and Ghibellines on 11 June 1289. Owners Stephen Eckler, 68, of Ivyland, and Robert Yost, 52, of Southampton, allegedly did not report $263,340 in cash wages to dishwashers between March 2012 and September 2016. An aviation management student got up in the air and relayed to several of his ROTC friends that it looked like bomb had hit. He told me it was. The Copper Kettle opened as a bar in the late 1930s. WOW! I was downtown that morning delivering newspapers about 30 minutes before the explosion. At that time in 1978, Queens We Will Rock You was a big hit. She never left. . A family style fine dining restaurant, known for its famous pan fried chicken, delicious. I remember people showing up at our house with charts and billing statements to give my parents, and other things they found in their yards! Sunday morning, I was just beginning to wake up when, >BLAMMO! Other circumstances have changed the face of the restaurant over the years, including one that almost wiped the whole place out. There are several well-documented close calls including then Rev. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Award-winning Alabama Living is the official statewide publication of the electric cooperatives in Alabama and the largest magazine of its type in the state, reaching some 400,000 electric cooperative consumers. The tiger painting was done by Barbara Keel, which I still own. Oh, and now we have video.). He got an idea of the severity of the incident as he headed into help after he turned off Highway 280 onto Highway 147 and rose to the top of the first hill. Compare now on Rent By Owner We were going to the office after church to do a filling on my mother! Add a photo Ratings and reviews 3.0 2 reviews #46 of 51 Restaurants in Beaumont Deceptive and after the fact additional costs not disclosed on menu. Find Vacation Rentals, Condos, and Resorts in Arezzo, Tuscany, Italy. Keith K. CA, CA. Be Truthful. They were only open for takeout for a few months, then reopened with half the seats taped off. They were hooking up hand lines from other sections of the town, different fireplugs.". Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. CLICK HERE TO TURN ON NOTIFICATIONS. The original building is no longer recognizable. I was a teenager at the time. Looking back on the 55 years they ran the bar, the Kapalas said they will cherish getting to know new people and making new friends the most. The blast left more than 70 businesses damaged, and one small town reeling. I heard that a dentist had his office on the upper floorthat they found his diploma in his mother's yard, two miles away. On a regular work day, not Sunday when this happened, I wouldve been at work long before 8:00 AM! The explosion, which originated in the basement of Waldrop's, also damaged numerous other buildings in downtown Auburn. Dale H. Wow, some incredible pictures. Don't forget to call and make your reservations for the holidays! A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Please read the rules before posting. We'd love to hear eyewitness On Sunday morning, January 15, 1978, several businesses on East Magnolia Ave in downtown Auburn were destroyed in an explosion caused by a natural gas leak beneath the restaurant. I had just woken up and was sitting on the couch in my apartment at Eagles' West when the whole building moved. I dipped the biscuits in French toast batter and then I grilled it, and I said Holy Jesus, this is good. Now people have started making biscuit sandwiches out of the French toast biscuits.. Checking back? Were not going anywhere, Laurel said. Your email address will not be published. Rod Sinclair was preparing for the 8:30 a.m. service when the explosion happened, knocking him to his knees. Use the 'Report' link on https://discord.gg/kJdJq5BRH5, Press J to jump to the feed. Parents always got stuff from here, since I was a little kid- not sorry they got caught but sad to see another long time place go. Bucks County is a county located Southeast in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Auburns 1908 team went undefeated despite losing to professional LSU team, Mustache Guys church pays prankish tribute to its famous youth minister during Sunday service, Well remember too, this season of great joy and hope. Like most children of Charlottes Greek community, she attended Greek school to learn the language and culture, and shes made trips to Greece to meet extended family. Lifetime Megan's Law Offender Charged In Bensalem: Police, New School Director Takes Oath In Bensalem Township. Required fields are marked *. As of the 2020 census, the population was 628,270. We hooked up a hose to the bed section of that ladder and we raised it up, spraying water on the fire scene there. The owners of the Kopper Kettle Tavern, in Feasterville, are facing federal tax charges after they allegedly failed to collect and pay employment taxes to the IRS, prosecutors said. LOWELL It may soon be last call at Cappys Copper Kettle. A birds-eye-view picture of the restaurant and the land around it that was taken in 1971 hangs on the wall near the cash register today, and it shows just how isolated the Kopper Kettle was three residential trailers are all that can be seen nearby. That old 68 Nova shook pretty hard! See the differences between multiple units in the same complex and find the best rates. In 1964, Richard's father, Karol, and a co-owner bought the bar. The destruction was amazing, but it was also amazing to see all of the things from the store that were unbroken. If those vents werent there or were sealed with something solid, Im pretty sure at least one person would have been dead. The information alleges that Eckler and Yost, owners of the Kopper Kettle Bar and Restaurant, located in Feasterville, Pennsylvania, did not report $263,340 in cash wages that they paid to dishwasher employees at the Kopper Kettle Bar and Restaurant during the period March 2012 through at least September 2016. Dick Kapala, bartender and co-owner of Cappys Copper Kettle, left, with customer Daniel Correa of Lowell, right. Editors note: Patterson is a retired diplomat with the U.S. Department of State and resides in Washington, D.C. The event made national news. A friend of mine, Richard W. said he had walked down to Toomer's Corner for a paper about 30 minutes before the blast. The place used to get so packed that we used to have a line outside, Richard Kapala said. and au jus (!!). Further investigation revealed windows 1-upstairs, the other downstairs had blown out of my apartment in Woodland Terrace, on Armstrong St. between Thach & Hare Avenues. 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