COLUMBIA COUNTY, Pa. — Keith Tunnessen knew his last day in business would be a busy one, but he was not expecting to serve more than 150 people before noon at Kemler's Restaurant near Bloomsburg.
"Regulars, customers, family, customers are the family," Keith said.
Kemler's Restaurant has been a popular diner along Route 11 for nearly 50 years, but this was its last day of business. Tunnessen owns the Restaurant and has worked there for more than 40 years. He says it's time to retire.
"My legs are just absolutely shot. Everything here is in the basement, so it's 50 times a day up and down the steps, plus the hard floors. It's my age. This is my birthday present to myself; I'll be 64 on Monday," Keith said.
Longtime customers say they will miss this place.
"It's terribly disappointing. We eat out here five out of every eight times we go out to eat," John Plotts said.
"People that you come here and see over and over again, the waitresses, they're our friends. It's just become a special place," Jamie Plotts said.
Keith says the feeling is mutual.
"What I'm going to miss the most here is the people. They're great. That's all I can say," Tunnessen said.
Keith says his immediate plans are to spend time with family and ride his motorcycle.
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