Historic Springfield restaurant Casper’s will be closing its downtown doors and relocating.
After 37 years in the “hut” on Walnut Street, Casper’s announced on its Facebook page that it is moving to the old Anton’s Coffee Shop building on Glenstone Avenue near Grand Street.
Casper’s will be open in its Walnut Street location next week and then plans to reopen on Glenstone either later this summer or early in the fall.
Owner Shawn Kraft said he felt like he outgrew the location downtown and he had been looking for a place with a drive-thru for a while.
Kraft told the News-Leader that he has mixed emotions leaving the iconic location, but with all the maintenance problems in the hut over the years it was time to move on.
Casper’s first opened in 1909, making it one of Springfield’s oldest restaurants. The business got its start when the restaurant’s namesake Casper Lederer started the combination fruit stand/chili restaurant in downtown Springfield. The restaurant has changed locations a few times over the years. Its famous chili is popular all year, but especially when temperatures drop.
More:You’re not truly from Springfield if you haven’t eaten these 10 restaurant dishes
The new Casper’s location will feature a drive-thru, a bigger parking lot and the inside will also seat more people compared to the downtown location.
Anton’s, another historic Springfield restaurant, closed in March 2020 after 46 years in business.
Kraft said he grew up eating at Anton’s, and he will pay homage to Anton’s by serving some breakfast items once Casper’s moves.
More:Anton Tasich, owner of Anton’s Coffee Shop, dies at 88
Ralph Green is a business reporter with the Springfield News-Leader. Contact him at [email protected], by phone: (417-536-4061) or on Twitter at RalphGreenNL
