PORTLAND, Mo. - Nearly a century separates the day a local woman purchased a bar in Portland and the day her grandfather purchased the same bar.
Shannon Holtzhauser, owner of Holtzhauser's Bar and Grill, said after nearly 30 years, the bar is finally back in the family.
"My grandfather owned it for 30 years," she said. "His nephew bought it and had it for 26 years; then their daughter bought it, had it for five years and sold it. It's been out of the family for years, and now it's back in the family."
The bar, Holtzhauser said, still uses a lot of the original fixtures her grandfather purchased to adorn the building.
"My grandpa was born in 1885," she added. "He left Portland at age 15 and moved to St. Louis. He came back and opened this bar in the early 1900s. The bar and pool tables are more than 100 years old from St. Louis."
Stepping behind the bar made the familiar experience feel foreign, Holtzhauser said.
"I've never touched the cash register until April," she said. "I was raised in here, and I remember sleeping on the benches in here occasionally, but I've never done anything like this."
Knowing she is behind the same aged wood bar her grandfather once stood behind evokes many emotions, Holtzhauser said.
"It actually gives me a flutter in my stomach," she said. "He died when I was four. I only remember seeing him at the house. People treat me differently because he owned it. I never dreamt it would feel this way."
Before running the bar, Holtzhauser worked as an administrative assistant at the University of Missouri School of Law and raised her children as a full-time mom in Iowa. It wasn't until 2012 she finally came back to her hometown and started to contemplate purchasing the bar, she said.
"There was a lady that worked for the previous owner that was my dad's girlfriend. She always said I needed to buy this place," she added. "The previous owner hired me to help out. One day I told her if she needed to sell it to sell it to me, and she said she was ready."
This wasn't her first attempt at working in the food industry. Holtzhauser and boyfriend had dabbled in the possibility of opening a restaurant before.
"My boyfriend and I jumped through loops to get a Jimmy John's franchise," she said. "We were going to open one up in Virginia. We almost did that, but this is way better."
Situated in a small town, Holtzhauser said the restaurant can get surprisingly packed in the evenings.
"Portland itself is small," she said. "But this place can get packed with people from the surrounding area."
The best seller at the restaurant is the burger, according to Holtzhauser.
"We're keeping the food the same because we're known for our burgers," she said. "I think it's the grill. It's seasoned, and it's been well used over the years. Everyone tells me to never get rid of that grill. I don't eat burgers, but I love our burgers here."
The food may remain the same, but Holtzhauser said she hopes to turn back the clock on the décor.
"I want to restore it and follow the design of the original bar," she added. "We want to bring the character to what it was."
Customer Rainie Sexton, of Portland, said Holtzhauser's has sentimental value to her and her family.
"I've been coming here since I could remember," she said. "I love this place. I lived in Fulton most of my life, but I always came here."
Sexton said the bar's new ownership is carrying on a rich tradition of running a gathering place.
"She's fantastic," she added. "She's always friendly when we are in. She's a great cook and a great people person. She does a wonderful job."
Stationed fewer than 100 yards from the Katy Trail, the restaurant is also a popular stop for cyclists from all over the country who stop for a meal. Norm Petredean of San Luis Obispo, California, who is biking across the country, stopped in for a burger Friday.
"Lunch was excellent - just what I needed," he said. "I like the decor in the building."
Charlie Schmid, also of Portland, said having a new owner with the familial connection adds an important feel to the bar.
"I'm glad to see her own it," he said. "When I was a kid, it was Holtzhauser's, and it's Holtzhauser's again. It's a pretty neat place to come to."
The down-home feel of the bar is what makes it different, Schmid said.
"The atmosphere is great," he added. "It's close to home; it's a gathering place. I'm glad it's open and in business."
The support from the community, Holtzhauser said, leaves her in awe.
"I'm related to so many people here," she said. "All I hear from customers is it's good (the bar is) back in the family. It blows me away what my family name means to people."
Holtzhauser's Bar and Grill, located at 10501 Main Cross St. in Portland, will have a formal grand opening Sept. 17. The celebration will include a barbecue starting at 3 p.m. where people can purchase a plate of food for $7.50. The bar will also have live music at 8 p.m.