Springhill Restaurant is preparing to permanently close its doors on Oct. 16.
PFLUGERVILLE, Texas — Over the years, Springhill Restaurant has become a familiar stop for customers who said they return for its seafood and welcoming atmosphere.
“There’s no better catfish,” Chris Carby said. “Catfish and shrimp.”
However, after more than 40 years in business, owner Carol Humphrey said a combination of financial pressures and personal health challenges has made continuing operations unsustainable.
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“My health has gone bad and rent has gone up,” Humphrey said. “We just can’t afford it any longer.”
But there’s something customers may not know about the man behind the restaurant.
Humphrey is legally blind. Humphrey said he has remained involved in the business with help from those around him.
“I had good drivers who drove me in when I needed to come three days a week,” Humphrey said.
He credits much of the restaurant’s longevity to the employees who have helped keep it running.
“I’ve had good people working here,” Humphrey said.
For longtime customers, the closure means losing more than just a place to eat.
Springhill’s walls are lined with antiques and decorations that regulars said have become part of the restaurant’s character over the decades.
“With all the antiques there on the walls and on the ceiling, there’s no other place like this,” Carby said.
Beyond the food and decorations, Humphrey said the restaurant holds memories for generations of customers.
“I’ve had people come in and tell me they remember eating here when they were in high school,” Humphrey said.
He said those memories, along with the relationships he’s built with employees and loyal customers, are what make saying goodbye difficult.
When asked what he’ll miss most about the restaurant, Humphrey said it wasn’t an easy answer.
“Oh, golly. A lot,” Humphrey said. “Everything.”
The restaurant is officially closing its doors Oct. 16.
As Springhill prepares to close, pieces of its history will also be available to the public. The restaurant is conducting an online auction featuring antiques from inside the business.
The auction closes on Oct. 20.
