The same cast-iron pan that cooked the first batch of Spanish rice at Twin Butte Country General Store and Restaurant in 1996 is still in service today. Three decades and roughly a million pots of rice later, the family-run business is marking its 30th anniversary.

For three decades, the restaurant on Highway 6 south of Pincher Creek has served Texas-style and Mexican food in a building that Jeny Akitt’s father, Larry Davis, restored from a condemned property. Jeny and her husband, Phil, now run the place and she says they have stayed deliberately close to her father’s vision.

The original Twin Butte store dates back to the 1930s, when a small building with two gas pumps and an office served local farmers.

Over the years, it grew into a general store, post office, gathering place and roadside stop for residents and visitors alike. After years of growth, the business eventually closed and attempts to revive it failed.

The Davis family would drive past and wonder what would become of it. By the time Larry bought the property in 1995, the business was closed and the building had fallen into disrepair.

“When Dad purchased the land, the building was condemned, so he had to come in and clean up lots of things,” Jeny says. “There were a couple movies shot here in the ’80s, in this condemned building, so there was a little bit of infrastructure from that, but not much.”

A carpenter by trade, Larry was raised in southern California, where he developed a passion for Mexican cooking and became known among family and friends for the meals he prepared. As the main cook in the Davis household, he took every opportunity to whip up his signature dishes for guests.

“He cooked Mexican food all the time, and of course, when guests come over, that would be what he cooked for everyone, and they’d always tell him, ‘You need to open a Mexican restaurant,’ ” Jeny says.

That encouragement, combined with years of driving past the abandoned Twin Butte landmark, led Larry to take the leap of faith. After a year of restoration work and family effort, Twin Butte Country General Store and Restaurant opened in 1996.

Larry and Jane operated the restaurant until 1999, when they offered it to their children. Jeny and her brother, Clint Davis, took over June 1 that year.

Jeny later bought out her brother’s share and runs the business with her husband.

Over the years, the menu expanded and the restaurant grew. One of the biggest projects was enclosing the patio to create additional indoor seating. While doubling the restaurant’s seating, it created a new problem.

“Once we did that, we realized we didn’t have any outdoor space, because the patio was gone, so we [opened] the Smoke Shack,” Jeny says.

The seasonal Smoke Shack opened in 2021 and has become a significant part of the operation. Guests can enjoy a meal or beverage and catch live music in the large outdoor space while “Smilin’ Phil” prepares Texas-style barbecue in a custom smoker capable of cooking dozens of briskets and chickens at a time.

Even with the changes, Jeny remains committed to preserving the recipes and atmosphere her father envisioned.

“All those little things that we try, I try not to deviate from Dad’s recipes that much, and just try to keep the food how he imagined it,” she says.

The general store still runs alongside the restaurant, offering groceries, postal services, gifts, liquor and other goods. The sense of community matters as much as the food.

Jeny says it is a meeting place where friends and neighbours gather, and where visitors feel welcome. She believes this keeps customers returning year after year.

“We try to make it feel like home, that this is where you belong,” she says. “We try and make people comfortable and have a friendly conversation with people.”

As Jeny and her family celebrate the milestone anniversary, she is proud her business continues to thrive in a time of high restaurant turnover and sees no reason to change what has worked for three decades.

“If something isn’t broke, don’t fix it,” she says.

Twin Butte Country General Store and Restaurant is celebrating its 30th anniversary July 1 from noon to 8 p.m. The event features live music from Coyote Creek, an open jam session, beverages for purchase and complimentary tacos.

Jeny extends thanks to all who have supported the business.

“Just come and have a great time,” she says.