By Drake Kroeger-
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to run a family owned business or restaurant? Even working with your family every day of the week? Well junior Maggie Mae Howell does both at a family-owned restaurant in Sutliff, Iowa.

Sutliff is a little town in Iowa between Solon and Lisbon. The restaurant is called Baxa’s Sutliff Store and Tavern. She moved all the way from Maine to run the business given down to them by Maggie’s aunt who had run it before them. The business has been in the family for over 40 years.

The town is very small with fewer than 400 people. “I like all the people down there, just the atmosphere there is amazing,” Maggie said. She has lived in Sutliff for five years, although her family has run the business since she was six.

The restaurant itself is a very small restaurant but it has a big heart, Maggie said. The place is not fancy or extravagant. It’s what a normal small town restaurant in Iowa should be like. “It should be more about the food and the people,” said Maggie Howell. The place is also really laid back with the same people in it as always. “It’s what makes the place so great, the people are so nice and is just like family,” said Maggie.

The store area sells t-shirts, bait and fishing tackle. The food at the restaurant is the specialty of Baxa’s Sutliff Store and Tavern.

Junior Luke Hansen said, “I have eaten at the restaurant multiple times, the food is very good.” Luke is friends with Maggie.

The place is always busy with people. The same locals are there all the time which gives the small town local atmosphere that Maggie has talked about. “The place is always packed with people, the atmosphere is probably the best part,” said junior Jake Muller who visits the restaurant often.

Maggie works at the restaurant waiting tables, cooking, and making salads. Really anything her family need her to do. She has been working with her family at the restaurant since she was 13. She started that summer. The worst thing about working with your family, according to Maggie, is customers always mix up Maggie and her sister.

For anyone looking to get into working at a restaurant. Maggie said just have a positive attitude and learn to let things go when working with customers and employees.

One of the biggest things that Maggie has learned from working in the restaurant: “Even though things are tough, things will always get better no matter what,” said Maggie.