"When you ask anyone that was there, the first thing that theyll tell you is it was damn cold. (SUN/Julia Malakie)A couple chairs down, 63-year-old Luis Velazquez clutched a Michelob Ultra. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. That was my best friends (Drew Gentry) dad that didnt go into work that day. I was in my second story apartment at the corner of Ross and Glenn (several blocks away) when this happened. Cloudy. I thought my 1 1/2 year old fell out of bed when it blew. There was a dentists office along with an attorneys office on the second floor over the Kopper Kettle.. Funny 1. First the lights flickered. 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. Many of the businesses had not opened yet, but there were students living in apartments above those businesses. I think he left me a $20 tip he felt so bad.. Its since gone back and forth between being designated as a Pineville or Charlotte address, but changing identities is nothing new for the restaurant. GET BREAKING NEWS IN YOUR BROWSER. We look forward to making your everyday meal or your special moment extraordinary! CLICK HERE TO TURN ON NOTIFICATIONS. Just amazing that no one was killed. McCord worked on top of the ladder truck for about three and a half hours before being relieved. "I have to think it was divine intervention that nobody got hurt," said McCord. For example, theres Rum and Coke Jim, Laurel said. On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. He could strike up a conversation with anybody immediately, Richard Kapala said. We were all so grateful that there were no fatalities, Patterson says. Firefighters continued working on the blaze and to keep the natural gas fires under control for the rest of the day. 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. 40th anniversary: Kopper Kettle explosion still reverberates today, Notice of Public Hearing - 801 Ogletree Road, Auburn Roundup: Arbor Day celebration on tap for Saturday, Auburn Public Library hosting Multilingual Story Time on Saturday, Steve Foote, Auburn's planning director, passes away, Tigers, Trojans close out series with a rare tie game, ACS Board of Education approves elementary rezoning. 2023 Alabama Living Magazine All Rights Reserved | Made with by Dogwood. I thought a minute"Yeah?" "The boys from Station 2 come driving up there in the truck, and they thought it was just people laying out there in the road.". Thank you for reading! What about the t-shirts? Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. I heard that a dentist had his office on the upper floorthat they found his diploma in his mother's yard, two miles away. That old 68 Nova shook pretty hard! Kopper Kettle, Morristown: See 94 unbiased reviews of Kopper Kettle, rated 4 of 5 on Tripadvisor and ranked #1 of 5 restaurants in Morristown. It BLEW UP!" When Penny calls during our interview to find out what time Morris will pick up her dad, the conversation is half in Greek, half in English. I've heard rumors it's already sold. Her mother, Helen Brooks, would often run fashion shows and prize drawings at the bar. https://discord.gg/kJdJq5BRH5, Press J to jump to the feed. Morris remembers taking her dads car for rides through the gravel lots around the land as a young child while he was distracted with whatever was happening inside the restaurant. The lot was still vacant when I arrived at Auburn, for Fall of 1978. Thank you for signing in! Uncover why Kopper Kettle is the best company for you. It is still hard to believe it happened! "The alarms went off in the station," McCord said. One of her main reasons for staying is the time she gets to spend with her dad. 765-763-6767. Sunday morning, I was just beginning to wake up when, >BLAMMO! Thanks for the great pics and the memories. How no one was hurt or killed is beyond my comprehension. 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. 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? Required fields are marked *, Like this story? The bar no longer serves food, but the regulars keep coming. They're still open. Mike Moore and I never heard the explosion but coming out we saw the smoke and walked down to see what had happened I remember paper everywhere things like sheets out of receipt pads. They lived in Cary Woods, and the blast woke me up. Keep it Clean. Find Vacation Rentals, Condos, and Resorts in Arezzo, Tuscany, Italy. 1,687 were here. It was just an incredible experience.. Your email address will not be published. One of which is about the Kopper Kettle. I think I remember asking my roomie on the top bunk: "what was that!?" Theyre heavy-handed in the kitchen, she says, and I like that.. He lived near the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, and says as his windows shook from the plane crash, he thought back to that January day in 1978. Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading. We'd love to hear eyewitness Kopper Kettles version of a Philly cheesesteak, with pot roast (!) Called off services due to potential other gas leaks. Our paper and website are always free, but if youre feeling kind, you can contribute to our journalism efforts here. McCord made his usual trek up South College Street before taking a right on East Magnolia Avenue and checking the sign at Central Bank on the corner. At least nine copper kettles are tucked throughout the restaurant, as well as copper art, including a hammered version of The Last Supper.. Don't Threaten. 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. : Combatting the Rattiest Cities, 9 Things to Do and See in Charlotte: February 2023, A Guide to Charlotte's Top Bar Food Spots: 2023. Sorry the owners got greedy. Photo #85 is me! We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content. Hurricane Hugo hit Charlotte hard in 1989 and did serious damage to the restaurants north-facing wall. Flights . I was the cleanup boy at the drugstore . The blast left more than 70 businesses damaged, and one small town reeling. Then, everything changed, as a natural gas explosion rocked downtown, destroying Kopper Kettle restaurant, a dentist's office and other businesses by the northwest corner of Gay Street and Magnolia Avenue. Amazing. I-77 was still . I was also throwing papers for the Auburn bulletin before the explosion, and came through town I could smell the gas is really strong went home to tell my father about the gas downtown since we were running the newspaper thought something crazy was going to happen and it did.I made it downtown right after the explosion I was reaching of the window at the drugstore to call my boss to tell them I would secure the store until someone got there about that time I found myself with handcuffs against a brick wall ,thought I was trying to steal the money out of the cash register but was later released what a crazy morning. Stephen Eckler, 68, of Ivyland, pleaded guilty on Thursday to charges of willful failure to pay employment taxes, according to the office of U.S. Attorney William McSwain. She never left. The shops across the street, "War Eagle PIzza" and others had shattered glass storefronts. They have the best snapper soup in the region! Still, she does big business on Saturday mornings, when Pineville families come in for breakfast. Kopper Kettle is located at 1985 Bridgetown Pike. Welcome to the Bucks County, PA Subreddit! Long ago, the Kopper Kettle Inn Restaurant put Morristown on gourmets' list from coast to coast as a stop on Route 52 where a fine meal may be enjoyed in a delightfully restful setting. The streets were empty as Jim Patterson, an Auburn student, made his way from his apartment on Thach Avenue to St. Dunstans Episcopal Church on nearby Magnolia Avenue to catch the morning worship service. I was a teenager at the time. COVID brought some changes, of course. If this had happened today, it would be a much different outcome.. These photos bring back so many memories! 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 usually went with take out, felt less gross. "I just heard the explosion," McCord said. A slice of Lowell: Cappys Copper Kettle, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), A slice of Lowell: Cappys Copper Kettle owners looking to sell, Make your credit cards less vulnerable to fraud, 3 steps borrowers can take to cope with the stress of student debt, Chipotle Mexican Grill adds a TikTok favorite to its digital-only menu, Frank Lloyd Wrights only oceanfront home sells for $22 million in Carmel, Bill needs a kidney: Tyngsboro man searches for lifesaving donor, Seeing orbs in photos? After breakfast, our family drove as close to downtown as possible to see the damage. No one even thought about looting or taking something that did not belong to us. The destruction was amazing, but it was also amazing to see all of the things from the store that were unbroken. According to other reports, Lt. Tamp McDonald was dispatched in the captain's El Camino to investigate the smell. I was in Magnolia Dorm cafeteria for breakfast. A gas leak caused the explosion in January 1978 that destroyed the Kopper Kettle restaurant and several nearby businesses. I love this place., Were sitting at a booth near the front door of the original dining room on a rainy Tuesday morning, and throughout our conversation Morris has to pause to ring up customers as they leave, chatting each one up as if theyre family. Cappys was busiest in the 1980s, Richard Kapala reminisced. 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. Built by Col. (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. Both George and Penny came from Greece in the 1960s. Were not going anywhere, Laurel said. Holy crap---a house blew up couple streets over from us! Most days now, Morris picks him up and brings him to the restaurant, where he spends the morning talking to customers, telling stories, and eating his lunch. that is degrading to another person. I just found this website. The tiger painting was done by Barbara Keel, which I still own. 13,909 were here. Explosive Exclusive: 78 never-before-seen photos of the Kopper Kettle explosion of 1978 | The War Ea About a year later I heard a local radio spot for something and they said "we are located across [], Your email address will not be published. We use our own and third party cookies to allow us to understand how the site is used and to support our marketing campaigns. About 40 frames later must be a young Andy Gentry in center w/ glasses w/ the fire Chief. It was an attorney's office, not a dentist. Eckler and Yost, if convicted, could face up to five years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine and full restitution to the IRS. I had to park my Patrol Unit on West Magnolia one block away from Gay Street. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, 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. The explosion, which originated in the basement of Waldrop's, also damaged numerous other buildings in downtown Auburn. A taxidermy fish hanging above the counter also dates back to Cappys early days. There are niches with marble and alabaster statuary, Dresden china, and Chinese chests. People really appreciate it when you listen. The couple has listed the building and business on the market, and hope to finalize a sale later this year. The Kapalas hope to travel with their free time, but plan to visit the bar even after the sale. I-77 was still under construction. When the apartment started getting cold, I got up to find that all of our gas heaters had gone out (I guess the city had cut off all of the gas lines) and the door on the side facing the Kettle had been blown open. Don't forget to call and make your reservations for the holidays! As of the 2020 census, the population was 628,270. I went and viewed the carnage that Sunday Morning. Matter of fact it was the talk of the Opelika-Auburn area for several months afterwards. Join the conversation on our Discord! "I thought somebody was beating the door, just messing with me on the bathroom doors.". chat with Leigh Langkable, owner of Kopper Kettle Inn Restaurant in Morristown, Indiana. It was owned by John Brooks, Laurel Kapalas great-uncle. The Rev. Hes frequented the bar for years, and visits the Kapalas at least four or five days per week. The Nerve is distributed every other Wednesday and includes feature stories, event and music listings, puzzles and more. Long ago, the Kopper Kettle Inn Restaurant put Morristown on gourmets' list from coast to coast as a stop on Route 52 where a fine meal may be enjoyed in a delightfully restful setting. 12/30/2022. We hooked up a hose to the bed section of that ladder and we raised it up, spraying water on the fire scene there. Did you know that Queen City Nerve is an alternative print publication with distribution locations all over Charlotte and Mecklenburg County? Either that or one that was equally trashed. the manager and supposedly the owner, and being told they couldn't give a discount, we received a 3% discount. Don't knowingly lie about anyone Shes got a whole sheaf of notes in a drawer by the cash register with things her father, now 84, tells her. Deceptive and after the fact additional costs not disclosed on menu. All Rights Reserved, On Sunday, October 28, 2018, Terri Stacy and Mel McMahon. It was his (Karols) lifelong dream, Richard Kapala said. Required fields are marked *. I immediately fell to the ground, and when I looked up, there were huge pieces of buildings so far up in the sky, I couldnt believe it, says Patterson. After the dust settled, concerned for the well-being of the church congregation, Patterson made his way through the rubble to St. Dunstans. Hear a new featured member each Sunday at 10:45 a.m. on 93.1 WIBC. Bucks County is a county located Southeast in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. More than 70 businesses in the immediate vicinity were damaged . 1978 THE KOPPER KETTLE EXPLODED. He was there on the infamous night in February 1967 when Speros Kokenes, who owned The Open Kitchen with his brother, Steve, was carjacked and murdered in what was believed to be a botched armed robbery. Downtown looked like a war zone. Found out later that day what had happened. More than 70 businesses in the immediate vicinity were damaged . I was just 3 years old when this happened but believe it or not ive got a good memory of it happening because i recall listening to my mom and dad have conversations with their friends about it . And had it happened 17 minutes later when everyone was arriving to hear Britt's sermon at Auburn United Methodist Church just down and across the street from the Kopper Kettle, a lot of people probably would have been killed or at least seriously injured because the blast shot shards of 90-year old stained class into the walls like throwing stars. 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. Hopefully something better goes in there. She graduated from UMass Amherst in May 2019, where she studied journalism and information technology. People are also reading Find out what works well at Kopper Kettle from the people who know best. Its an institution.. The bar has hosted parties and even weddings. "The defendants' practice of paying their employees in cash, concealing this from the IRS, and failing to collect and pay federal employment taxes, undermines the integrity of the federal income tax system and harms those who play by the rules.". They renamed it Cappys Copper Kettle, after Karols nickname. I sat up having heard the tremendous explosion, and went back to bed. Morris takes pride in the large portions. Ells have been added, porches attached, stairways built, and patios and gardens laid out. Its great to be a part of their (the customers) history, Laurel Kapala said. Greek immigrants George and Penny Karnesis opened Kopper Kettle on Nations Ford Road in what was then southwest Charlotte in May 1971. The Kopper Kettle Inn is open to serve you on the following holidays, https://www.indianaoriginals.com/listing/kopper-kettle-restaurant-caterer/. I was working at the old Spur station on the corner of Gay and Glenn. 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. But some longtime customers arent ready to move on. We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content. [] in the late 70s a restaurant in downtown Auburn, AL blew up because of a gas leak. Mixed bands of pro-papal Guelf forces of Florence and allies, Pistoia, Lucca, Siena, and Prato, all loosely commanded by the paid condottiero Amerigo di Narbona with his own professional following, met a Ghibelline force from Arezzo including the perhaps reluctant bishop, Guglielmino degli Ubertini, in . So I did it. You can see our catering and carry out options on our Menu page. It was kind of a wild place for dinner back in the day, recalls Sara Morris, the Karnesis daughter, born just four months after the restaurant opened. You have permission to edit this article. I thought a tornado was coming through but I didn't see anything outside. For this speech, Patterson will talk about what he witnessed at both the Kopper Kettle explosion in Auburn, and on 9/11 when he worked in Washington D.C. as a diplomat. And those were mine and my sisters dental records that got blown up. Investigators determined the gas leak blast was equivalent to multiple tons of TNT exploding. The anniversary and a sermon given shortly after the blast by the Rev. Now she can do both. One of the more fun parts of running a business for Morris has been playing with the menus. You can throw whatever you want in there, she tells me as I peruse the menu. I was one of the first Uniform Police Officers on the scene. In the picture where the painting is on wall of the tiger, that was my dental office. It had a liquor license and a lively bar, but by the late 1990s, George and Penny decided to serve just breakfast and lunch. Many of her regulars are police officers and firefighters. And then theres the St. Patricks Day tradition: Each year, Richard Kapala cooks about 500 pounds of corned beef, and serves it at the bar with cabbage and either rye or Irish soda bread. Three sides had glass. This laughing with customers is what the couple says they will miss the most. I had slept through the explosion. After 55 years of ownership, Richard Kapala and his wife, Laurel, are selling the building and with it, the business. 4,339 were here. On Sunday morning, January 15, 1978, half a block of businesses on East Magnolia Avenue in downtown Auburn blew the hell up (kapow, boom, war-zone), chief am. 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. that morning. or anything. Compare now on Rent By Owner Please read the rules before posting. KATHLEEN PURVIS is a longtime Charlotte writer who covers Southern food and culture. An hour later and people would have been going to church. Knock my wife out of bed at the BSU on college. Click here. While the devastation to downtown Auburn shocking, that no one died or suffered a serious injury from the explosion was the most remarkable thing about that day. The restaurant was closed at the time of the blast, according to a report by ABC News.
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kopper kettle owner killed