Pappy’s Place listed for sale

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Grant Beach neighborhood staple Pappy’s Place has been listed on the market for sale.

Scott and Debra Keese, owners of the 943 N. Main Ave. barbecue restaurant and bar, are seeking to retire, said Laura Daly, the listing agent through Murney Associates Realtors.

Scott Keese confirmed plans to retire after two ownership stints: first for nine years starting in 1996 and again when he repurchased the business in 2010.

“It’s bittersweet,” he said. “I’ve been in the restaurant business in Springfield forever.”

Keese said he would continue to operate Pappy’s until a buyer is secured.

“I’m in no rush. It’s not a fire sale or anything,” he said.

The restaurant is known for its barbecue and cold beer, as well as photos and items showcasing its decades of history. The building opened in 1926 as George Bills’ Cafe, when it was issued Springfield’s first liquor-by-the-drink license following the repeal of prohibition in 1933, and took on the Pappy’s name in 1971, when Paul and Dorothy Ankrom purchased the business. Paul Ankrom was one of the original O’Reilly 13 who helped start the auto parts business, and his stepdaughter called him Pappy, according to past Springfield Business Journal reporting.

The April 2 listing asks $195,000 for the restaurant and bar, as well as the building housing it and a separate house on the 0.2-acre lot.

The property has an appraised market value of $95,400, according to Greene County assessor records.

The Springfield News-Leader was first to report on the plans.