BATTLE CREEK — With all of the new food-centric festivals and competitions in Battle Creek, the Enquirer decided to ask readers what restaurants they miss the most in the area.
Here’s what they said:
Shrank’s Cafeteria and Catering Co.
By far the most frequently missed restaurant, Shrank’s was a fixture in downtown Battle Creek for more than 70 years. The popular meeting place dates back to 1932, when Roy Shrank opened the lunch counter. The business was sold in 1969 to Harold and Mary Flake. In 1982, their daughter Rita DeVore bought the business for $1, according to Battle Creek Enquirer archives.
The Enquirer featured “Rita’s last day at Shrank’s” in April 2007 when she sold the business to Steve and Becky Schnorr. The recession led the Schnorrs to give the business back to Rita and her husband, Steve.
The DeVores planned to reopen the business in 2010, but a costly new ventilation system deterred them from doing that. Shrank’s closed that year.
Battle Creek Unlimited purchased the two storefronts that used to be Shrank’s at 85-87 W. Michigan Ave. in November 2018. The building has since been torn down to make way for affordable housing.