A counter top once deserted now bustles with eager customers awaiting their coffee and breakfast. The atmosphere, once still and lonesome, comes alive with the buzz of business and filled with the aroma of freshly fried bacon. Kirkwood’s charming cornerstone, Spencer’s Grill, is back.

Meredith and Micheal Shadwick, owners of Kirkwood businesses Honey Bee’s Biscuits and Tropical Moose, reopened the town’s historical diner on Nov. 8. Meredith said she grew up going to Spencer’s with her grandfather and was disappointed when she saw the store hours shortening. She contacted the previous owners, Hannah, KHS alumna, and Alex Campbell, when they officially announced the restaurant’s closing in June, and placed a bid on the space.

“I love how Kirkwood is growing a lot and I think it’s very exciting, but it’s [also] changing,” Meredith said. “We wanted to keep something that was affordable, family-friendly and fun [where] the community can come to.”

In early Oct. prior to the reopening, Michael Kleckner, co-owner of Spencer’s, issued a statement on their approach. Similar to Meredith, Kleckner said his priority is keeping the classic and historic feelings of the diner while improving the quality of and consistency of the menu.

Meredith said reopening the diner was simple since they got to keep most of the internal furnishings and decorations, but it took longer than expected due to the arrival of her newborn baby, Rosie. However, even with the delay and distraction of raising a child, the couple was able to get the restaurant back up and running in a matter of four months.

“While we did buy the business, we didn’t have to spend any extra money on any equipment, silverware, plates or bar stools, so that made it easier,” Meredith said. “We really just decluttered and deep-cleaned.”

Meredith said the most important and difficult aspect of reopening Spencer’s was maintaining the original, old-timey feeling that makes it so special to customers. While she wants to keep the 12 menu items that have been there since the store opened in 1947, she also wants to add new options to elevate it.

“The scary thing is you want to make sure that [customers] still have that classic experience,” Meredith said. “We got rid of pretty much the whole lunch menu, and [now] we want to add a few. We don’t want to have too many items on a menu, especially in a place this small, because quality is really important [to me].”

Meredith said she’s excited about keeping the energy and history of Spencer’s alive. She’s always loved the environment of the diner and said she wants to preserve the exterior of the building while also adding in a fun twist.

“We’re working on a night concept where people can come get good burgers late,” Meredith said. “I’d like to fix the neon in the sign out front, but not [by] changing the clock. I could imagine people liking something new, while also keeping the old vibe the same.”

Mary and Dave Hanson, Kirkwood residents, were frequent patrons of Spencer’s prior to the Shadwicks buying the diner. After the reopening, they have gone three times and said the quality and experience of the restaurant is better than before.

“Since [the Shadwicks] took over, [Spencer’s] has upped their game and the food is higher caliber,” Mary said. “The pancakes are fluffier, the coffee’s excellent and the wait staff was very accommodating to our grandkids.”

Dave said he enjoys watching the cooks prepare the food out in front while he sits at the bar stool because it makes the experience more authentic, and Mary said that despite the revamped quality, the diner has stayed true to its old charm that made it so special to them. She said they plan on bringing more of her grandkids back because of how great of an experience it was.

“It’s friendly and fun, and it really does take back to a diner feel, like you stepped into an old black-and-white movie,” Mary said. “They cleaned it up very nicely, but they left the flavor of the old Spencer’s, so we would definitely go back.”

This story was originally published on The Kirkwood Call on February 2, 2025.