Evans Fine Foods in Decatur closing after 69 years

“I hate to see ’em leave,” said the 70-something fellow across the booth from mine.

“I do, too,” replied the similarly aged white-haired gent in the booth next to me.

“You eat here just about every day. Where you gonna go now?” said the first.

“I don’t know,” came the reply. Then he turn back around to his lunch plate.

Evans Fine Foods is closing. That's making a lot of people sad, especially the retirees who are daily fixtures at this Decatur diner. They come for breakfast, lunch or dinner – and sometimes all three meals. They are customers whom the staff know by name ("Hello, Mr. Tom, how are ya?"). They are customers who know one another by name.

It’s like an episode of “Cheers” but with aqua blue vinyl booths replacing bar stools and a cup of coffee or sweet tea standing in for a pint of beer. It’s good people just trying to make their way in the world today. That takes everything they’ve got. And right now, it is Evans that doesn’t got it.

Read more about the closing of Evans Fine Foods and what it means for longtime customers here.