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Tammy Apperson, The Lunch Box Cafe
Sometimes life brings you exactly where you’re meant to be.
I didn’t plan on ending up in Lebanon, Missouri, and I definitely didn’t see myself running a restaurant that’s been serving this community for nearly a century. But life has a funny way of bringing you exactly where you’re meant to be.
I grew up in Illinois and moved to Lebanon in 2004 because my husband at the time wanted to get away from the big city. I didn’t love it at first. I was a stay-at-home mom, then a salesperson at Falcon Floor Covering, and even opened a little café in Conway before a storm shut it down. Eventually, I moved across the country to Richmond, Virginia, where I worked in finance for ten years, managing teams and learning a new industry from the ground up.
Everything changed when my daughter asked if she and her newborn could come live with me. I said yes, and for a few years we built a life in Virginia together. But when she decided to move back to Missouri to be near family, I couldn’t stand the thought of being away from my grandkids again. So I sold my house, packed what I had left, and came back.
I couldn’t find work. Employers said I was overqualified, or they couldn’t pay me what I used to make. I was walking into Falcon one day to ask for my old job back when I saw a for sale sign on the door of The Lunch Box. I asked about it, made a call, and not long after, I was the owner.
I bought the place just before COVID hit. I had never worked as a short-order cook, but I stepped into the kitchen and learned by doing. We kept things going with curbside service and support from the community. Over time, I updated the space with new paint, new booths, and a collection of lunch boxes that now line the walls. But I kept the name, the menu, and the heart of the place the same.
The Lunch Box has been on this block since the 1930s. People have been eating here for generations. I’ve been lucky to get to know so many regulars who have come in every day for years. And now, one by one, I’ve started to lose them—not because they moved away, but because they’re getting older. It’s one of the hardest parts of doing this work. These people become part of your life, and it hurts to say goodbye.
Still, I love what I do. I’m proud of this little spot and what it means to people. I’m proud that travelers are still being told, “You can’t leave Lebanon without eating at The Lunch Box.” And I’m proud to carry on a legacy that started almost 100 years ago. I’m not from here, but this is my home now. And I’m not going anywhere.
Tammy Apperson, The Lunch Box Cafe
