Thu. Mar 28th, 2024

“This is her dream.”
Pat Morningstar said those words in January 2005 about the restaurant he and his wife opened in Bellwood one year ago next week.
The restaurant had been a dream of Crindy Morningstar for 20 years. She had worked in area restaurants before opening the Morning Star on January 24 of last year.
When The Daily Herald caught up with the couple earlier this week, Crindy was busy cooking in the kitchen while husband Pat was busy working on the books in the back.
The pair took time out to talk about how things have gone in the first year of operations. Pat Morningstar wanted to emphasize his thanks to the customers who have supported the business.
One of those customers, James Patterson of Bellwood, said he stops in at the restaurant about three times a week.
“I think we needed it here a long time ago,” said Patterson. “I’m a morning person, I had been going back and forth to Altoona for the last (several) years.”
He said with the restaurant in Bellwood he could walk there and take care of other chores along the way.
“It’s nice here,” said Patterson. “It’s convenient. They’re nice people here.”
Crindy Morningstar said, “I’m doing what I like to do. It’s well worth it. From day one we have done homestyle meals and we don’t take shortcuts. Everything is homemade. No pre-packaged food. That’s the way we will continue to do it.
“Our customers are very important to us, “ she added. “They’re the ones that keep our doors open and we’d like to thank them for a good year and hopefully many more.”
Pat Morningstar called the first year “a learning experience.”
The restaurant plans to have specials throughout the coming week in honor of the first anniversary.
The business employs about a dozen people according to the owners.
The Morning Star is open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, Sundays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and is located in the 400 block on Main Street. The business phone number is 742-9100.

By Rick