Monday afternoon looked just like any other inside the Hopkinsville Ferrell’s.
With kids out of school for President’s Day, and several other local offices closed, orders and patrons were flying in well after lunchtime — burgers and chili and fountain drinks spilling from the small counter top and into happy hands.
At one point, cook Phyllis Jones had 12 patties frying on the greasy flattop — singles, doubles, triples, cheese, pickles, lettuce, tomato, onion, ketchup, all smashed and wrapped for perfection.
Outside of the building, however, the sign for the business — opened in 1936 and the city’s oldest downtown working establishment — now barely clings to its wall. Many of its neon tubes, shining down Main and 10th streets for as long as most can remember, shredded and ruined.
According to Owner Ches Hill, an incident occurred Sunday, in which a large vehicle parked near the establishment and later pulled away — clipping the sign.
A manager cleaning the store had left and returned, only to find glass busted on the sidewalk and the signage appeared to be hit.
Across the street, however, were the folks of Heirloom Table Home — who not only witnessed someone pulling up and pulling away, but also were able to review some web cam footage of the mishap.
Hill said he “didn’t have a lot of information” at this point, but he did file a report with the Hopkinsville Police Department Monday morning.
Having bought the facility from Phillip and Carolyn Ferrell in 2021, Hill said he didn’t know the sign’s age, but could confirm it “was older than any paperwork or history” in his possession.
He also said it’s his goal to “put it back the way that it was,” either by repairing the original sign, or replacing it with something as close as possible to the way things were.
Whichever avenue, Hill said he’d do “whatever it takes.” Normal hours will continue to be observed until further notice.
The first-ever Ferrell’s opened 1929 in Owensboro, and by the 1940s a second location was needed in Madisonville. Bowling Green, Henderson and Clarksville also had the burger chain at different points.
Opened 1976, the location in Cadiz is the newest for the franchise.
