Moniteau County Historical Society - Click for larger view Moniteau County, Missouri 1867 Moniteau County Courthouse - Click for larger view


Nic-Nac Cafe

(Est. as Bill's Cafe in 1938)

 

Nic Nac Café Historical Timeline

Originally Bill’s Cafe

 

June 1938 – Lawrence S Combe buys the lot at the northeast corner of Hwy 50 and 87 & sells the Heidbreder house that is moved one block south and east (the house stands in that location as of 2019).

 

July 2, 1938 – Grand opening of the MobilGas service station and Bill’s Café

           

July 1942 – Combe sells property to Sacony Vacuum Oil Company.  John J Heinen becomes manager of the service station. Combe moves to Colorado.

 

November 1945 – Bill Asahl sells his café to Golder Kaiser and Ray Neiderwimmer

 

January 1954 – Leroy Welch buys Bill’s Café from Neiderwimmer

 

June 1955 – Leroy Welch sells Bill’s Café to Kenneth Thomas. Renamed Nic Nac Nook at this time.

 

October 1958 – Kenneth Thomas sells Nic Nac Nook to Howard Jones.

 

October 1960 – Closed 6 weeks for major remodeling and reconstruction. New kitchen constructed and café air conditioned at this time.

 

1961 - Howard Jones sells Nic Nac Nook to Blanche Hartman and Doris Walters.

 

November 1965 – Hartman and Walters sell Nic Nac Café to Kathryn Sack and Emma Volkart.

 

May 1978 – Hartman and Walters buy the Mobil Station from Wayne Witt. They also buy the building and lot from Jeff Viles

 

June 1978 – Kathryn Sack sells Nic Nac Café to Hartman and Walters. Mrs. Sack had been sole owner for last 10 years

 

1984 – Business moves to location at Bus. Hwy 50 and Latham Road

 

May 22, 1993 – Blanche Hartman dies

 

1999 – Walters sells Nic-Nac Café to Jackie Heather

 

2019 – Heather sells Nic-Nac Café to David Wyatt

 

2019 – Heather regains ownership

 

March 2021Heather Closes Nic-Nac Café

From June 30, 1938 California Democrat:

Combe To Open New Station

-----------

Establishment at intersection Here one of Finest to be Found Along Highway 50

-----------

The Moniteau County Oil Company's new Mobilgas Service station at the intersection of highways 50 and 87, where the Heidbreder residence formerly stood, will take place Saturday, July 2, according to L S Combe, owner of the company who is running a half-page advertisement relative to the opening in this issue.

 

Mr. Combe, on his lot 105 x 105 feet, has built one of the nicest stations to be found along highway 50 in Missouri. Its facilities offer the motorists an unexcelled, modern service.

 

Approximately 10,000 square feet of concrete extended from the building to highway 50 on the south and to highway 87 on the west. Three self-computing gas pumps are centered to the south of the building and three to the west.

 

The station structure 27 feet wide north and south and 66 feet long has the service room in the west and in which will be displayed tires and seasonable accessories. It has plate glass on the south and west and large windows on the east giving a view of the lubritorium in the center of the building. To the north of the service rooms is the Moniteau County Oil Company's office. Both the service room and office are finished with white walls and stained woodwork. The men's toilet, equipped with a screened window and modern fixtures, opens off the sales room.

 

The building has all-steel sash windows throughout.

 

The lubritorium 26 x 22 feet, has overhead doors leading into it from the south and is equipped with wash rack and lift.

 

An overhead ventilation system has been provided for the building.

 

In the east end of the building is the cafe and it is the most beautiful of all. The floor is of hard maple, wainscoting and the paneling about the fountain bar are of knotty pine. Above the wainscoting the walls are white, installed in the west side of the room is the latest type of luncheonette fountain. Ten upholstered chairs are being installed today about the fountain bar and there are three tables designed to accommodate four persons each besides. To the rear of the fountain bar is a grill and to the north of the fountain a preparation room. there's plate glass on the south and large windows on the east. A door leads from the north to an area in which will be graveled, planted to flowers and shrubs and made into a fountain-luncheonette outdoor serving park.

 

The ladies rest room, which is between the lubritorium and cafe, is comparable in its finish and beauty to the bathroom of a new, modern home. An extra partition in it separates stool and lavatory.

 

The exterior of the building is smooth, white stucco, trimmed in red.

 

J. M. Shull was Mr. Combe's contractor on the building and concrete, Wm. Zey and C. J. Bender on the plumbing and J. W. Stanley on the wiring. Mr Combe says the co-operation with Roy Holmes, superintendent of the light plant, have made it possible to produce an outstanding job of lighting, which includes 5,000 watts.

 

Forrest Katschman and Earl Simpson are in charge of the sales and service at the new station and Wm. "Bill" Asahl of the cafe. Mr. Combe devotes his time to the bulk sales of his company.

 

Special features for the opening Saturday will include a low price on ice cream sodas and favors for men, women and children.

 

From the July 23, 1942 California Democrat:

Combe Leases To Oil Company

-----------

Will Go to Colorado - Heinen and Huff to Operate Station and Bulk Business

-----------

Negotiations have been completed between Lawrence Combe, owner of the Moniteau County Oil Company, and the Sacony Vaccum Oil Company for the leasing with option to purchase of Mr. Combe's service station, bulk storage tanks, warehouse and all equipment located in California and other towns in Moniteau County.

 

John J. Heinen took over the station this morning as operator and James Huff of Clarksburg has become operator of the bulk business.

 

Mr. Combe came to California on January 27, 1933, and established the Moniteau County Oil Company starting in what now is the Cities Service Station across the street from his present station location at the intersection of highways 50 and 87.

 

Later he operated the White Eagle Tavern and on February 17, 1938, he purchased what was known as the Heidbreder residence at the northeast corner of the highways intersection. The big house was sold and moved away and Mr. Combe built on the lot an attractive, modern and convenient service station and cafe which are counted among the outstanding ones on highway 50 between St. Louis and Kansas City. In 1940 he purchased from J. R. Proctor the ground on which his bulk storage tanks and warehouse are located. This property is adjacent to the Missouri Pacific right-of-way about three blocks east of the depot.

 

Through good judgment and alert application to do his work, Lawrence built up a profitable business - one which last year sold over 345,000 gallons of petroleum products - and has made many friends throughout the county. He has always been a community booster, served on the Chamber of Commerce board, was a member of the Lions Club and has worked for things which he believed were for the betterment of California and surrounding territories.

 

An interesting thing in connection with Mr. Combe's business career is how he came to locate in California. He and his family were living in Kansas City and had decided to locate in a smaller town, though they had no idea as to whether it would be north, east, south or west of Kansas City. One day Lawrence had been to Jefferson City. To him at that time California was just a place on the map. However, as he passed through it struck him that the intersection of highways 50 and 87 should be a good location for one in the oil business. He drove over the town and liked it. Then he made some trips about over the trade territory. Everything looked good to him. He found that the station at the northwest corner of the intersection could be purchased and decided to make the venture. He has never regretted it. Along with the operation of the station he immediately went into the bulk business and has carried on a wholesale and retail business throughout the years he has been here.

 

John J. Heinen who look over the station this morning has been identified with the automobile business in California for more than a quarter of a century. First he worked for Henry Ferguson who sold out to W. G. Heidbreder. Johnny continued with Heidbreder, working mainly as a mechanic, for more than 15 years. Then, in 1934, he went into the automobile repair business for himself. Three years ago next month he leased the Cities Service Station and moved his garage equipment to a building to the west of it, continuing to operate there until this week. He will continue to do repair work in his new location, along with operation of the station.

 

James Huff is a former resident of the city. He was in the feed business in the Saengerbund building and Hert & Roth building from 1929 to 1931, after which he located in Clarksburg where he was in the feed business until he took over his new work with the oil company. He and Mrs. Huff have five sons and a daughter who is married. They expect to move to California as soon as they can find a suitable place to live.

 

Bill Asahl has operated the cafe in the Combe station property ever since Mr. Combe built it and will continue in business there.

 

Mr. and Mrs. Combe and daughter, Charlene, plan to leave soon to locate in Colorado, either in Denver or that vicinity where they have spent several vacations and have a number of friends. Mr. Combe says the only definite plan he has for the immediate future is to do some fishing and rest for awhile.

 

 


 

Moniteau County Homepage

 


 

Please go to the contact page with questions or comments about this web site
Copyright © 1997- Alan Sparks - Moniteau County MOGenWeb, All Rights Reserved.
Last modified: March 29, 2021