Off the beaten path, on the North side of Chillicothe, there was once a bustling train station that people would board for destinations far and wide. Not far from there is a little restaurant that travelers would frequent while they waited for the arrivals of friends or loved ones or readied for their own journey. The restaurant is still there in an historic setting, and the trains still roll on the tracks, but they no longer stop at the train station as they once did. I guess those days are behind us now, but you can still experience the great little restaurant called the Track Inn. 

This little historic building located at 1815 N. Santa Fe Ave., in Chillicothe is filled with friendly people, good food, and nostalgic train pictures. Old fashioned service and food is the norm here so if you’re looking for a clown figure to excite the children, or a playground, this won’t be your kind of place. Walking in, it’s like stepping back in time. You’ll notice the old-fashioned tables and chairs from a time when the idea of a pandemic was just science fiction and people had other problems to worry about. 

It’s my understanding, that the Track Inn has been around since 1977 and before that it was called the Apollo. It’s currently ran by Kyle Callahan and Chrissy Michael. Kyle’s mom bought the business in 2020 at the start of pandemic. At the time, Kyle was a carpenter and he hung around the restaurant to help his mom out. With less construction work during the pandemic, Kyle said that his time around the restaurant grew into a full-time position for him. Chrissy is a family friend who has known the family for years. She said she watched Kyle grow from a child into a man. In her retirement from healthcare, she needed something more to do and she knew Kyle could use some help. 

Together, Kyle and Chrissy formed an unusual business partnership. They each bring different talents to the table and together they overcome many obstacles, but neither one had any restaurant experience. Their goal is to rekindle the historic restaurant and keep its historic look. Their plans include opening the menu up a little but keep breakfast food available all day. They also want to offer more desserts and some sugar restricted desserts as well. Currently the most sought-after menu items seem to be the tenderloin sandwiches or the biscuits and gravy. Of course, the Tuesday chicken dinner is a hit, too. 

I find it refreshing to find a place like this that hasn’t been gobbled up and changed by corporate America. If you want to experience the old-fashioned good service and reminisce to how things used to be, bring a friend, or the family to Track Inn. Experience the yesteryear charm and service. Someday places like this will no longer exist due to the struggles businesses are experiencing with operational costs going through the roof. You owe it to yourself to have the experience while you still can.