New Spencer's Owner: 'I'm So Lucky'

has gotten a face-lift after Mary Sly and Lisa Kambell took over as the new owners and managers of the Kirkwood icon.

Sly explained that it has been a dream of hers and her friend, Kambell, to be owners of Spencer’s. “I do feel like I’m so lucky,” said Sly as she reminisces on how she and Kambell would sit at Spencer’s and yearn to be a part of the grill’s guild.

When the business went up for sale at the end of February, the ladies took over in just ten days and focused on keeping Spencer’s the busy diner that it is.

And what keeps the diner busy is not just the food, but also the environment that is created by “the regulars” coming back for more. Sly explained that regular customers will walk in and their order will get started on the grill and their drink will be served to them in a matter of moments.  These regulars often pass down one of their favorite pastimes to their children.

The environment that keeps them coming back is maintained by the employees as well.  “We have such a happy place to work and good people who work for us and good people who come in our door everyday,” says Sly with a smile on her face. And that smile is still used throughout the day as she greets all the customers that pass through the front door.

Spencer's is a Kirkwood staple. With a limited selection of diners in St. Louis County, Spencer's has been operating at its current location for 65 years.  With this storied history comes pride. Pride in a community jewel. Ms. Sly and Ms. Kambell look to perpetuate that legacy. They do it for their love of Spencer's, but also for the people that have been sitting in those stools and booths for decades, as well as the newer customers looking to quench their thirst with a little sip of Americana.