Upon entering The Station Burger Company customers see televisions turned to sports channels, first responder memorabilia lining the walls, rubber boots perched on countertops and pictures from firefighters.
The first impression of The Station Burger Co. is the same you would get from your typical burger joint.
Paducah, Ky., resident Carl Medlin opened the first The Station Burger Co. restaurant in Paducah three years ago.
The creation of this restaurant came about as a result of Medlin’s talent as a cook.
The story goes Medlin made a burger so delicious that his friends told him he should sell it.
Murray is now the location of the restaurant’s second installment and it has ambitions to be involved in the community.
As a part of this mission, the locally-owned eatery uses local meat and produce from McCartney Produce Company.
Medlin prides himself on supporting the community’s first responders.
Specialty restaurants such as Firehouse Subs focus mainly on firefighters, but The Station Burger Co. looks to include and honor all first responders in the community.
Every article of clothing that is hanging in the restaurant is donated by the local police and fire departments.
Keri Stevman, sandwich maker for The Station Burger Company prepares a burger.
Murray’s Station Burger Co. is decorated with memorabilia donated by Calloway County first responders.
A unique quality of The Station Burger Co. is their collection of uniform department patches from first responders.
Murray’s collection is yet to blossom, but Paducah’s collection is extensive and even includes a patch from a survivor of 9/11. Medlin said he hopes to see Murray’s collection grow.
The Station Burger Co. general manager Jeff Daywall said he is interested in honoring the restaurants philosophies of supporting not only first responders, but also the community.
“Good food, good atmosphere and good service is our focus here,” Daywall said. “Since Carl is a firefighter himself, he has a lot of pride in that. We do fundraisers all the time for local first responders.”
In the short time the Murray restaurant has been open, they have held several fundraisers, including a benefit for a local firefighter of Murray who lost his house in a fire.
“We just had a fundraiser last Saturday for a local firefighter,” Daywall said. “We put a night where 20 percent of all proceeds went to his family. We ended up raising about $2,500 to help his family recover.”
Daywall said he intends to provide opportunities for Murray students and student organizations to get involved with The Station Burger Co. mission.
“We have local fundraisers with local organizations every Monday and Wednesday,” Daywall said. “College students always receive a 10 percent discount. We always make sure the local games are on the television. We enjoy helping the community.”
Story by Alex McLaughlin, Staff writer