Hidden Treasure Found in Reno County

August 27, 2019

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Katie Crum (left) and Connor Owens (right) happy to show off their creation of the cheeseburger pizza. Photo by Morgan Ayres.

By Morgan Ayres
Rural Messenger Staff Writer

With a population just under 700, Pretty Prairie, Kansas is the definition of a small community farm town. In Pretty Prairie, main street plays country music while across the road, four-wheelers and farm trucks are pulled into the town’s steakhouse. Although, unlike a normal steak house, The Pretty Prairie Steakhouse and Lil’ Rascals Lounge holds a gem that sets it apart from its competitors.
Katie Crum and Connor Owens are the heart and soul of the new addition to the restaurant’s menu which includes Fire & Slice Pizza. After doing research, owners Ed and Judy Markel found the demand for unique flavored artisan pizzas.
The backroom lounge that once held a pool table is now transformed into a family atmosphere. Additional seating, the stone oven and open kitchen allow customers to interact with employees while they prepare pizza orders.
“This is opening up a whole other side of customer service that one may not receive from a larger restaurant,” Crum explained, “We want people leaving happy and with a full belly.”
While sitting down with the Markle’s, owners of the steakhouse, it was easy to see how the community of Pretty Prairie thrived from the family atmosphere created downtown. The employees and owners are quick to make conversation with everyone who steps through the doors of the small-town business.
“We don’t want to be basic,” Crum explained. Unique flavors like a cheeseburger and s’mores pizza bring “something different to the community.” The ambition is high for Crum and Owens as they are ready to experiment with more foods and flavors in the new stone oven.
In the future, the restaurant wants to offer support to the community by collaborating with the local school and opening for sporting events. Fire & Slice Pizza is open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. With a family orientated atmosphere, the restaurant wants to reach out to the smaller communities and encourage them to try the new angle of cooking with stellar customer service.