S&J Last Day

The sign says it all. And the message hung in the dining room like the pickley sweet smell of tartar sauce. Everyone is painfully aware this is the day we say good-bye. <br/><br/>Lovena Spradling: "oh

Saturday, November 13th 2004, 8:40 pm

By: News On 6

The sign says it all. And the message hung in the dining room like the pickley sweet smell of tartar sauce. Everyone is painfully aware this is the day we say good-bye.

Lovena Spradling: "oh i think its rather sad I can understand why they want to now but its been quite an institution and its kinda sad to see it go."

When Lovena Spradling and her husband heard the news they knew they had to make the drive in from Okmulgee.

Mr Spradling: "the quality of the food is still good after 22 years and thats not real usual a lot starts to go down hill after ten."

S&J isn't closing cause it's losing its fire. But Howard Smith's brush with death last summer has changed things. And he and his wife Michelle are looking forward to some time off. But saying good bye is still hard.

Michelle Smith: "very very hard I think its one of the hardest things I've ever done. I said tonight is going to be a really tough time for us saying good bye to all of our friends some we've known for years and years."

And many took comfort in the food.

Harlan Guthrie: "I came to get something to eat because Im not going to be able to get that anymore so if you're going to lose something you wanna get that last little taste and try to remember it before its gone."

Remona Foster: "oh gosh everything but i know im gonna miss my crawfish pie... i wish i had the recipeâ€

If Tulsa was our oyster, for many, this was the pearl and it will be sorely missed.