Berryland Cafe, Then and Now

The building at this well known address was built in 1903 and is now home to the . It used to be Farmer's State Bank with the Anderson Inn located on the floors above. Until 1995, it was known as Ma's Restaurant.

Current owners Nolan and Lola Burslie offer customers several varieties of rhubarb pie, an essential part to Sumner's title as the Rhubarb Pie Capitol. The menu features breakfast and lunch specials with homemade specialties, like cinnamon rolls. In the early days of the café, Nolan would walk along Main Street and offer free pie to anyone he met.

"If you give a little, it comes back to you," Nolan said. 

Travelers have since stopped in for the remarkable pie after reading about it in the Associated Press and many local papers, and are amazed to find Lola still baking her famous pie, which she does daily.

It has been 15 years since Lola purchased the restaurant and changed the name from Ma's to Berryland. She said it took a full year before she and her staff enjoyed the traditional café "lunch rush," which is shocking to think today, when you see a line that stretches out the door. If you come late for lunch, you may find yourself sharing a table with someone you have never met, just as I did the first time I visited the café several years ago. Many lifelong friends have been made in the cozy tables during a shared bite to eat; many continue to meet regularly. 

The café's nostalgic feel is more than just atmosphere; many pieces of Sumner's history are connected to the building.

When they starting renovations several years ago, Nolan found a covered doorway. Inside this sealed door jam was a copy of the Sumner phone list from 1919. This single sheet listed all of the residential and commercial phone numbers from that time and is much too short to be considered a book. On one of the final columns, you can find The Farmer's State Bank at 1101 Main St., the same address as the café. An enlarged copy of the sheet is currently on display and customers can look at the doorway, too. People like reading the names of familiar families who made history. Some notable residents are still living in the area today. 

The Burslies will continue to cherish the building's legacy as they plan to expand the café in the future. The adjoining property will be opened to create a larger dining area. There are also plans for a major kitchen renovation.