Korner Cafe Moves to New Location in Kahoka
By Emily Bontrager
Korner Cafe has a new location, and owner Katrina McMann couldn’t be more excited about the move.
After opening the restaurant in September of last year in the old Blimpie’s building, Korner Cafe relocated on October 1, 2025, to its new and much larger location at 578 North Johnson Street in Kahoka. The building was formerly Steve’s Family Dining.
McMann, 34, is currently renting the building, with plans to purchase it in the future. The property is owned by Jeremy Lindley and Adrienne Franklin.
A Kahoka resident, McMann has always loved feeding people.
“I love to feed people, and I’ve always loved the restaurant business,” she said.
McMann previously worked in the food industry as a waitress, bartender, and bar manager at several well-known local spots, including Ma & Pa’s, Cookies, and Holtkamp’s.
Her experience in the service industry gave her the confidence and determination to eventually open a place of her own. Although the journey hasn’t always been easy, the rewards of running a small-town restaurant are worth the effort.
“I try to keep the food as real as possible,” McMann said. “I try to keep all the chemicals and processed stuff out of here as much as I can.”
She sources most of her ingredients from Kohl’s Wholesale in Quincy, Sam’s Club, and buys from C&R Market in Kahoka.
The move to a larger space has allowed Korner Cafe to expand in several ways, giving them a bigger dining area and room for more customers. The cafe now has around 17 staff members and offers a private room that can be rented out for local events.
McMann said the transition to the new building came with some nerves but also a lot of excitement.
Starting January 1, McMann plans to expand the menu, which currently features breakfast food, sandwiches, sides, and salads, along with daily specials listed both in the restaurant and on the Korner Cafe Facebook page.
“I’m nervous about it, because I keep throwing changes at my employees, but luckily they are wonderful,” she said.
Looking ahead, McMann is eager to continue doing what she loves most, feeding the community that helped her dream become a reality.
“I really appreciate the support,” she said. “I never could have made it without the customers. I started this with $400 of my own money, and that was it. Kahoka has provided the rest. I just put in the time.”
Korner Cafe is open seven days a week from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and is closed only on major holidays. The cafe offers Friday night supper buffets, Saturday breakfast buffets, and Sunday lunch buffets.
To place a to-go order or reserve the private room for an event, call 660-342-3268. Stop in to check out the restaurant and support another locally owned business.
This holiday season, Korner Cafe will also host a special visitor. Santa Claus will stop by around Christmas time. Guests are invited to bring a canned food donation, which will be given to the Clark County Food Pantry.
