Changes at a Cafe That Served Generations of Travelers From Idaho

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I used to get up on Saturday mornings and drive all the way to Snowville.  For breakfast at Mollie’s Café.  When gas was cheap and before the pandemic.  I decided to make a return visit this past weekend.  For decades, Millie’s was operated on by the grandmother of a friend.  His sister waited on tables.  She was a devout Minnesota Vikings fan, and we used to talk football as I ate my massive and delicious breakfast.  The grandmother passed away, and the sister found work at the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office.

Snowville has a population that hovers around 170 people, but there are three places where travelers can get a meal.  A friend told me a story several years ago about Friday night family dinners at Mollie’s.  His kids were attending BYU, and he lived in Buhl.  The kids would drive north, and their parents would drive south, and the family would have a reunion in Snowville. 

This is what real America is supposed to represent.  Families and these unique stops along our rural Interstates.  Each with its own flavor and motif.  Mollie’s has created memories for generations.

There’s new management.  The people there are still friendly and ensure coffee cups are filled.  There have been some changes to the menu.  I ordered an old American breakfast staple.  Home fries, eggs over easy, sausage, and sourdough toast.  It was more than filling. 

But, however, I’m not sure…

The toast was apparently stale before it was toasted.  It had some yellow streaks that may have been butter.  Home fries can be crispier.  Small details, but for a fellow who rarely gets out for breakfast, these are all important issues. 

I’m hopeful this was simply an aberration.  I genuinely want to go back.  I prefer spending my money on family operations versus the cookie-cutter corporate models.  I’ll visit Mollie’s again.  It’s like a Rockwell painting, and our culture needs the connection to better days.

Mollie's Has Served Travelers

The toast could have been better.

Good Diners are an Oasis for the Soul

Generations have relaxed and filled up their stomachs.

The Atmosphere is Relaxed

The staff is friendly.

I Want the Owners to Succeed

There's a great legacy.