By Cindy Peterson
Combat Cafe in Umatilla Closes Its Doors Permanently
Umatilla’s Combat Cafe, which has become a staple in the community for its extensive veteran memorabilia, military-themed dishes and veteran fundraising initiatives, closed their doors permanently on Sunday.
Owned by Bruce and Beth Chambers, the restaurant had been struggling for some time. Last year, when they had announced they would be closing, the community came together and helped them stay open. One donor even paid for a month’s rent and many locals said they would visit more often to see that veterans had a great place to go for breakfast and lunch.
An official reason for the close has not been announced, other than that their lease is up and they would not be renewing it. Bruce’s Facebook announcement gave us a little more insight on what we can expect to see from them next. It read:
Originally from the small town of Berryville, Arkansas, Cindy has become a multimedia specialist in journalism, photography, videography, and video editing. She has a B.S. in Communications from the University of Central Arkansas and produces Style Magazine's Sports Hub Podcast and the Healthy Living Podcast. She also produces for Beacon College’s Telly Award-winning PBS show, “A World of Difference.” When she isn’t working, Cindy loves traveling the National Parks with her husband , Ryan, and son, David, photographing wildlife.