INDIANOLA, Iowa – It’s described as a “long time coming” by the family — Crouse Cafe is changing hands to a fourth generation.

The restaurant has been around for nearly 80 years. Now, former owners John and Rhonda say it was clear that the time for change had arrived. The line of succession was natural — the new owners, siblings Josh and Kristin Crouse, were practically raised in the restaurant.

Josh talks about memories of starting out on potatoes and carrots, moving to dishwashing, and then finally cooking. He says he considered doing culinary arts on a cruise ship, but ultimately decided to stay home. He’s glad he did.

While the kids have plenty of experience at Crouse Cafe, John and Rhonda will still likely be found at the register and in the kitchen at times.

The family attributes their success to loyal customers, hard work, and homemade food. While they have a loyal customer base, they get their fair share of out-of-towners, too. A good amount of the staff members are also family and know their customers well.

While a new generation is taking over, don’t expect too many changes. And it’s almost certain that Indianola will continue to support the iconic cafe for perhaps generations to come.