BISBEE, Ariz. (KGUN) — The original Bisbee Breakfast Club (BBC) is searching for a new location, but people in Lowell don’t want to see it go.
“This street has a lot of history, and for us, it's been an amazing journey,” said Mitzi Satterfield, general manager for the restaurant, which has several locations throughout Arizona.
Bisbee Breakfast Club has been a staple on Erie Street since 2005. Its 15-year lease with Freeport-McMoRan expires in September.
“This town, this community, ... they've pulled together for us," Satterfield said. "It's just so awesome to know that we have that kind of a community.”
She says she called Freeport-McMoRan about the lease, and was told they won't be renewing it because the age of the building makes it unsafe. KGUN asked Satterfield if she felt the building was unsafe. She said "we have creaky floors" but didn't note any safety concerns.
"I would be right here, and I would go down with the building," the general manager said. "I would stay right here.”
Which says a lot, since Satterfield only agreed to be in Bisbee for the first three months the business opened. Yet, she's stayed for over 14 years.
“Right now, I have to be strong for everybody else, but I'm telling you, if it comes to the point where we have to leave, I'm going to lose it," Satterfield said. "It's going to break my heart.”
Jay Allen and Dan Simonis, run the Lowell Americana Project, preserving the history of Erie Street— including the Bisbee Breakfast Club.
“This whole project has managed to revitalize this street, but the Bisbee Breakfast Club is the heart and soul of it,” Simones said. "It’s more than a business. It's actually a cultural landmark, and it's also the cornerstone, or the foundation stone, let's say of this entire street.
"Without (it) we're not what we are."
Erie Street provides a glimpse of the past, with its historic look, cars and other memorabilia. Allen says tens of thousands of people visit the stretch of road in Bisbee because of its homage to 'Americana.' He says most of the people find their way to the street because of the Bisbee Breakfast Club.
"It's a shame to lose something like this," said Janet Townsend, who was visiting for the first time. "We drove from Canada, and we've been a lot of places, and this, I think by far, is my favorite.”
Most agree the street wouldn’t be the same without the Bisbee Breakfast Club, which is why Allen and Simones collected letters of support from community leaders to give to Freeport-McMoRan.
“We just want to convey to Freeport, to give these people a long-term lease, sell them the building, whatever they can do so Lowell can just continue to grow and preserve Americana,” Allen said.
Satterfield doesn't exactly know what the future holds for the popular eatery, but she does know, no matter what, it will stay in Bisbee.
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Alexis Ramanjulu is a reporter in Cochise County for KGUN 9. She began her journalism career reporting for the Herald/Review in Sierra Vista, which she also calls home. Share your story ideas with Alexis by emailing alexis.ramanjulu@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook.
