Reminder of the 70's along Rio Grande 30 – Silver Grill Cafe, Thompson Springs, Utah

: Thompson Springs, UT Sep. 10, 2017
: Thompson Springs, UT Sep. 11, 2014

Silver Grill Cafe was located at the center of the town on Frontage Rd (old US Hwy 50 & 6), opposite the Rio Grande depot.

In 1935, George(1892 – 1987) and Sadie(1912 – 2001) Dutos succeeded the by then Thompson Pool Hall[1,2]. In 1947, Alfred Walter "Al" Garrett(1900 – 1965) leased it from George[3]. Al later leased the Oasis Cafe at Green River in 1954.

Ernest Edward Stone(1889 – 1970), the former operator of the Cisco Hotel, was the manager of the cafe in 1950 according to the 1950 Census. Margie Gallaway was the waitress and Millard Kazee was the cook. Arco Poloni operated the cafe at least in 1952[4]. The cafe was burned to ground in 1961[5], but Dutos rebuilt it with red brick next year[6].

Antonio J. "Tony"(1918 – 1997) and Rose Louise Zaccaria(1929 – 2017) Lemieux owned and operated the cafe in the 60s and into the 70s until 1974 with the phone number 285-9991[7, 8]. Arthur Russell(1914 – 1988) and Elma Lorene(1911 – 2009) Busick, their daughter Marlys Elaine(1950 – 1986) and her spouse Donald Lee(1947? – ) Christensen succeeded the business same year[9]. Russell also owned and operated the Texaco Station built new next to the I-70 exit[10].

July 1985 Trains magazine tells us that the cafe took lunch order of Rio Grande Potash Turn crews. 1989 movie Sundown and 1991 movie Thelma and Louise were filmed here. Dennis Gale Spykerman(1948 – 2001) and Beverly Ann Shaw(1927 – 2007) seem co-operated the cafe in the 90’s[11, 12]. Unfortunately, it is no longer in business.

The original neon sign is stored in the barn next to the cafe on the south. It used to hang out on the north side of the building facing the US hwy 50 & 6. It moved to the east side when the movie came on location. The roadside billboard still stands at the corner of Utah State Route 94 and Bureau of Land Management Route 144.

revised, Sep. 19, 2017

revised, Jun. 8, 2020

revised, Aug. 1, 2020

revised, Apr. 2, 2021

[1] May 12, 2001 Deseret News;
[2] Aug. 8, 1935 Times-Independent;
[3] Sep. 30, 1948 Times-Independent;
[4] Mar. 13, 1952 Times-Independent;
[5] Nov. 4 1971 Times-Independent;
[6] May 3, 1962 Times Independent;
[7] Dec. 29, 1966 Times-Independent;
[8] Jun. 14, 1973 Times-Independent;
[9] Dec. 25, 1975 Times-Independent;
[10] Aug. 21, 1975 Times-Independent;
[11] Jun. 3, 2001 Deseret News;
[12] Firmage, Richard A., (1996) A History of Grand County, Utah State Historical Society
* 1996 photo of the cafe with neon sign;
* 2006 photo of the cafe with neon sign;
* 2006 interior photo of the cafe;
* still photo from the movie Thelma & Louise;

: Thompson Springs, UT Sep. 10, 2017
: Thompson Springs, UT Sep. 10, 2017


Silver Grill CafeはThompsonの町の中心部・駅前にあった1935年創業のカフェ。駅にAmtrakが停車しなくなったのと前後して閉店したようだ。

建物は1962年の再建。1970年頃はLemieux夫妻が経営していた。かつてファサードに取り付けられていたネオンサインは、南に隣接する納屋に保管されている。