Jan Schultz | The Imperial Republican
MorningStar Cafe is the Chamber’s Business of the Month for July. Part of the staff includes, from left, Stacy Fosbinder, owner Cindy Castor, Sherri Buffington and Andee Schoenholz. Several staff members on different shifts are not pictured.
MorningStar Cafe continues success
By Diane Stamm
The Imperial Republican
MorningStar Cafe isn’t sleeping on its success as the Small Business of the Year winner in the Chamber’s 2021 business recognition program.
The restaurant has now been named Imperial’s Business of the Month for July.
After three years at Imperial Auction Market, MorningStar Cafe moved to its current location at 140 East 12th Street in 2019.
“We had to up our game,” owner Cindy Castor said, adding that the business needed a bigger kitchen.
After a remodel of the 12th Street building, the business has grown by leaps and bounds, to the point Castor says the kitchen still doesn’t feel big enough at times.
MorningStar Cafe is open Mondays through Saturdays from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. for breakfast and lunch, then on Mondays through Fridays supper is served from 5 to 9 p.m.
But Castor says there’s always room for improvement and growth. Part of that has been adding Rocket Inn take-and-bake pizzas.
Castor said they’ve been blessed with a great staff, saying they certainly can’t do it on their own, and expressed her appreciation for their customers.
“This is all possible because of the community. We are so grateful for the strong support,” Castor said.