Myrtle’s Place, in downtown Poplar Bluff, is ushering in spring with a face-lift, according to owner Debbie Sliger and her daughter Leanna Alexander.
The changes will bring some outdoor seating and inside, more window seating, as well as a new accessible bathroom and roof.
During the renovations, it’s business as usual, according to Sliger, who stressed they intend to keep the dining room open to patrons throughout the entirety of the updates.
“It really doesn’t matter what the inside or even the outside looks like, it was time for an upgrade,” said Alexander. “We just want everyone to know we will still have the same unique service and the same family flow as we always have.”
For 38 years, Sliger has been a hard-working, familiar face, serving area residents down-home, country-style meals.
“Well I was only supposed to fill in for six weeks,” said Sliger with a smile, “but I knew I wasn’t going anywhere after the first day I was here.”
That day was in 1984. Sliger took a serving position at the already established restaurant, owned at that time by Alexanders’ great aunt Myrtle. In 1996, Sliger took the leap to make the business her own.
The mother-daughter duo has, of course, seen employees come and go over the 38 years, but they have many who have been with them for more than 20 years.
“Through the years, they’ve (employees) had my back. They have been dedicated and hard-working, through the thick and the thin of it,” said Sliger of her employees. “They will always have your back at the weakest moment.”
In 2020, Sliger lost her husband and business partner, which she said was a trial for the business, but they have managed to continue keeping the same family-friendly atmosphere customers have come to know and love.
The growing pains of time have only strengthened the bond between mother and daughter.
“She fired me once,” Alexander said with a laugh, “but I came back better and so did she.
“We’re so different, but it works. She is the worker. She puts in the early mornings and the dedication to the food and everything here and I am more of the payroll, employees and Facebook.”
“She is my rock,” said Sliger in a matter-of-fact tone.
Sliger says the restaurant is a family affair. All of her grandchildren are willing participants in the business, but one grandson, in particular, is the self-proclaimed CEO, Alexander said jokingly, she continued saying, “if I called any of them right now and needed them to come here and help they would.
“We are only two people, me and her. We have had a lot of great help to keep things running.”