NAMPA, Idaho — Nestled in downtown Nampa, is LeBaron’s Honker Cafe — a family-run business serving up breakfast, lunch and dinner for almost 50 years. Now, the owner Ron LeBaron is retiring and passing on his legacy to his son.
LeBaron’s cafe had down a line down 2nd street Monday morning and for good reason. The ‘mom and pop’ café was offering 25-cent coffee 55-cent pancakes and more all morning. The same prices the café had back in the '70s.
Crowds of people came in to get some food and celebrate 48 years in business and Ron’s retirement.
“My dad started the cafe in 1974, when it was just a couple booths and spots at the counter,” LeBaron’s new owner and son Ryan LeBaron said. “My dad’s retiring and it's our 48th anniversary so we amped this up a little bit and we’re doing our turn-back-the-clock menu pricing from our 1970s original menu.”
“I was managing the Country Inn and putting in an awful lot of hours and one day I decided, ‘why am I doing this when I could do my own business and put in just as many hours and it would be mine?,’” Ron said.
But now, he’s passing things off to his son, Ryan who has been by his side since the start.
“It means a lot,” he said. “I put a lot of work into this and help from my children and it’s a privilege to have one of them want to take it over.”
“I was officially on the ‘payroll’ when I was 6 years old helping out dad in the back making pies and jumbo homemade cinnamon rolls. I have great memories with dad side by side Saturday morning defending off all the crowds for great breakfast.”
The whole family flying flew in from out of state to celebrate — 48 years and Ron's retirement.
“The community has given us so much help and support to be in business 48 years and I’m just happy more than happy and my son as well and our family to be able to give back to the community,” Ron said.
To learn more about the history of the cafe, click here.
