Waitresses deliver multiple meals.

By Shari Benyousky
Guest Columnist

Column Note: This is the 14th column in the Dives and Diners series in which a small
group of Warsaw Breakfast Optimist Club members and their guests road trip to explore the
diners and dives of Kosciusko and the surrounding area.

LEESBURG — “Wow!” I exclaimed, walking around the corner of the Oswego Mini Mart and stumbling upon an outdoor patio.

The front door.

From the front of the store, passing by on busy Armstrong Road, I had never suspected such a quiet, shaded space could exist. Suzie Light, yes THAT Suzie Light, and 24/7 Chris Plack were already sitting in a shady spot. I heard Suzie whisper to Chris, “The invites did say 11:30, right?” They pulled up their phones and frowned at them.

I overheard 24/7 Chris say, “Look, I don’t care that the invite actually says noon, if Suzie Light says the invite says 11:30, then that’s what time it starts!” It’s obvious that Suzie Light, recently retired CEO of the Kosciusko Community Foundation and Sagamore of the Wabash Award winner, hasn’t lost her touch.

A dark-haired waitress passed around menus. “My name is Raven,” she smiled. In answer to 24/7 Car Guy Plack’s request about what absolutely couldn’t be missed on the menu, she pointed out the Brunch Burger which comes with freshly shredded crispy hash browns and the Garlic Parmesan Fries. For the record, both are excellent choices.

Both the patio and the airy, comfortable inside filled up with patrons quickly. From the friendly greetings, many appeared to be regulars. Diners and Dives ‘rules’ say that everyone orders a different item, so Funeral Planner Brittany Lyon texted that she wanted dibs on the Frisco Melt. “Absolutely not,” 24/7 Plack exclaimed. “She must be here to call dibs. It’s like the shotgun rule. Remember when we were kids? You must be in sight of the car to call it.”

“Did you play horse bite?” asked Social Worker Vicky Owens. “When we were little, we used to grab the inside of someone’s thigh and pinch. We had so many black and blue marks.”

“Did you play Doorknob or is that an Alaska thing?” asked 24/7 Plack who likes to point out that non-natives make good Kosciusko citizens too. “When someone farts, you whack them until they touch a doorknob.”

“Or Slug Bug,” chortled Vicky. “Did you ever play the version where you get to hit someone’s shoulder once for every letter in the car’s color?” She illustrated by whacking REMAX Realtor Jeff’s shoulder five times as she called “G-R-E-E-N!”

On the patio, the temperature hovered a hair under a balmy 70 degrees, so our other wildcard guest Gina Voeltz, owner of Pottery Bayou in Winona Lake, and Funeral Planner Brittany shared a blanket as they studied the menu. Suzie Light turned the conversation to a topic from a recent public meeting discussing the revitalization of downtown Warsaw. “What kinds of things make for a vibrant downtown?” She nodded thanks to Raven who was multi-tasking with a row of lunch plates on one arm.

Twisty fried shrimp.

The table called out many great ideas: Cultural Events. Things to do. Better traffic patterns. More green spaces. Connect the green spaces easily by walking or biking. Connecting Pike Lake green spaces to Center Lake green spaces without having to walk or bike over US 15.

Connecting Center Lake to Downtown better. Events including alcohol such as the Kettle Heads Home Brew Fest. Live theatre performances on the lawn. Maybe a second Wagon Wheel performance center?

“I remember the original Wagon Wheel tent!” laughed Suzie Light. “I remember rain dribbling down those tent poles and semis whizzing by during the performances as I sat there dressed in my Sunday shoes.”

“I remember being pregnant. Big as a house with my daughter. And there being no air conditioning in that tent either.” Vicky illustrated big as a house with one hand. “Those uncomfortable director’s chairs. Ugh.”

In the conversation downtown events which are safe for kids came up several times. “Walking from my house with my kids to downtown across 15 is an ordeal,” 24/7 Plack put in. I nodded in agreement, my mouth full of crunchy twisty-fried shrimp. I remembered nearly being hit on my bike while attempting a crossing to Center Lake Park by someone turning right.

Suzie Light dabbed at her mouth. “A successful downtown should be the commercial, civic, and cultural hub of the community. How can we make that happen?” Warsaw has made great strides in that direction. The new Parks Office in Center Park recently opened helping to connect Center Park with downtown areas.

“Better trees!” Attorney Tony Garza waved his breaded cheeseburger (which he later said was the best one he had ever eaten). Garza’s undergraduate degree is in landscape architecture. “Those Bradford pear trees lining the streets stink. Literally stink!”

“Agree!” chorused several voices.

“If you were king, Tony, what tree WOULD you plant then?” REMAX Jeff asked.

“Something not invasive. Something that doesn’t create a monoculture. Something tolerant of car exhaust, of course. Ask a local nursery person,” suggested Attorney Garza as he chose an enormous onion ring.

Chef Danette in the kitchen.

“But what about the PARKING?” REMAX Realtor Jeff Owens had to ask the inevitable question. Groans rippled around the table.

Suzie Light shrugged. “Perhaps a parking garage?” Perhaps if there were lots of ways to get downtown or back and forth to Winona Lake with a bike easily, we wouldn’t need so much car parking either.

Hearing all the fascinating perspectives while eating great food made one thing clear. We all wanted a downtown full of cool shops, pop-up events, easy access, and enjoyable foot traffic. We also wanted connected greenways and waterways for ALL of Kosciusko County. As Garza said, “Long ago, my brothers and I used to put in canoes on the Tippy River right here at the back of Oswego Mini Mart. I’d love to float down the river again someday.”

Oswego Mini Mart isn’t a dive at all, and it IS worth a stop. The food is fresh and fast. The staff is friendly and efficient. We hear that breakfast has an interesting clientele, so we’ll be back to check it and them out. The last thing I heard before leaving was: “Don’t miss the biscuits and gravy when you come. We’re famous for them!”

Know of an interesting place, board, nonprofit, or person which you’d like to see featured in Dives and Diners or in Profiles behind the scenes someday? Send SB Communications LLC an email at [email protected].