With the love, and support of my wonderful family, friends, neighbors, "From the Kitchen of Mary" was established in August of 1983. Creating a flavorful assortment of homemade pastries, cookies, cakes, cheesecakes, pies, and candies became a daily challenge. Found at local craft shows, festivals, and fairs in the St. Louis area, the demand for quality, homemade bakery production continued to grow.

Christmas of 1984, I received orders for 30,000 Christmas cookies and pastries. With only three weeks to fill orders, I found it was necessary to work 21 hours a day, seven days a week until Christmas finally arrived.

With the demand exceeding my ability to produce, my dream was to have a commercial location with the commercial equipment and a few employees to help produce the same delicious bakery goods.

It was a warm day in June 1985, when I first set eyes on The Blue Owl Restaurant. Mrs. Lucianna Ross, the matriarch of Kimmswick, met me there to discuss the possibility of my combining an already successful home baking business with a country tearoom.

Before I left The Blue Owl that day, Mrs. Ross and I agreed that I would "give it a try" and open the main dining room in the quaint, old building located at 2nd and Mill Street. Enthusiastically, I predicted that some day, "people would have to wait in line to get a table at The Blue Owl."

The dream is now a reality... and more! In August 1985, I hired five employees, set a goal of serving 30 customers a day and nervously opened the doors of The Blue Owl Restaurant and Bakery in historic Kimmswick.

Our clientele continues to grow on a daily basis, and my goal of 30 customers per day had increased tenfold. Today, we serve over 300 customers per day during the week, and many more on Saturdays and Sundays. The original staff of 5 has grown to 75 hard-working individuals, each contributing to our success.

How blessed I am to have such a wonderful staff! I could not accept the many opportunities which are ever-present without the love, support and dedication of these very special individuals. . . Marion Reeve, Diane Meyer, Bonnie Adams Kraenzle, Gloria Avis Naes, and the entire Blue Owl staff. Their creativity, dedication, enthusiasm, pride, and treasured friendships are visibly present everyday at The Blue Owl.

Also, I have added more dining rooms to the original restaurant I opened that hot summer day in 1985, including "The Owl's Nest," "The Texas Tearoom," named in honor of my home state, and "Lucianna's Tearoom" and "Ms. Mary's Veranda".

My feelings of nervousness have been replaced with pride and the commitment to provide quality, fresh food, a warm atmosphere and an extraordinary dining experience to every customer. Of course, there are still daily challenges, but love, support and encouragement still surround me, and without the hard work, and persistent dedication of my staff, my job would be impossible. How blessed I am to have such a wonderful staff!

Our beautifully illustrated cookbooks are collections of our most requested recipes.
• The publication of "Baked with Love" celebrated our fifth anniversary of The Blue Owl and yet another "dream come true".
• The publication of "Luncheon Favorites" celebrated our sixth anniversary of The Blue Owl and yet another "dream come true."
• The publication of "Keepsakes" celebrated the seventh anniversary of The Blue Owl and is dedicated in part to Mrs. Lucianna Ross, who believed in me from the beginning.
• The publication of "Let's Do Lunch" celebrated our ninth anniversary and is dedicated to all those who helped save us from the "Great Flood of 1993."
• The publication of "Creation for Sharing" celebrated our eleventh anniversary and is dedicated to my family, friends and good food.
• The publication of "Homemade Delights" celebrated our thirteenth anniversary and is dedicated to my wonderful Mom and Dad.
• The publication of "Seasoned with Love" celebrated our sixteenth anniversary and is dedicated to my wonderful husband, Jerry.
• The publication of "A Celebration of Cooking, 20 Years of Blessings" celebrated our 20th anniversary and is dedicated to my customers, employees, family and friends.

The "Great Flood of '93" caused the complete evacuation of The Blue Owl. The raging floodwaters were a threat to the entire Kimmswick community... only to be saved by the gallant sandbagging efforts of thousands of volunteers and the National Guard, who built the earthen levee outside our back door. The eighth anniversary was celebrated by our return to The Blue Owl as threatening floodwater began to recede.

On the occasion of our tenth anniversary, The Blue Owl staff created. "The Anniversary Quilt." Each member of the staff stitched and personalized a square of the hand-quilted treasure. It is proudly displayed in the Main Dining Room and is featured on the front cover of "Creation for Sharing."

The tenth anniversary also marked the completion of another expansion including "Lucianna's Tearoom," "Ms. Mary's Veranda" for outside dining with live music, expanded kitchen and baking facilities, and yes, at last a parking lot!

Our eleventh anniversary was celebrated with the completion or our new retail bakery area, a waiting area, and a more efficient kitchen facility for our staff. Our outdoor Veranda is enjoyed year-round with the newly designed enclosure. Twenty-six French doors enclose our Veranda for the winter months so that everyone can enjoy a warm, toasty lunch, even on a snowy day. Talented musicians fill the air with the music of dulcimers, harps, and accordions.

Our 12th anniversary was celebrated with the remodeling of "The Owl's Nest" as well as the addition of a handicap restroom. More renovations have helped to update The Blue Owl and make it a more enjoyable place to visit and work. The Texas Tearoom was remodeled, making it more airy and inviting.

Our renovations would not have been possible without the teamwork of my dear friends Dick and Carol. Their amazing talents and dedication have enabled my dream for The Blue Owl expansion to become a reality.

On January 17, 1998, I received an award for "Women of Achievement" in the restaurant industry. What a tremendous honor! And before the evening was over, I was also presented with the prestigious award for "Restaurateur of the Year - 1997" for the Greater St. Louis Area, presented by the Greater St. Louis Restaurant Association. The presence of my dear friends, loved ones, co-workers, and fellow restaurateurs created one of the most memorable evening of my life!

In March of 2000, I was married to my wonderful husband, Jerry, in the presence of our children and grandchildren. And in June of 2000, we had a beautiful celebration for my Mom and Dad's 50th wedding anniversary with our entire family and friends present.

Spending time with family is so important! Family dinners are cherished in our home as a time to gather ‘round the dinner table, as often as possible, to share a meal and to spend precious time with our grown children, Kimberly, Kelly, Christopher and his wife Julie, and Andy and our precious grandchildren Brett, Ryan, and Elise, our granddaughter born in 2003. Our meal is often followed by the grandchildren’s request to make cookies, only to devour the dough before any cookies can be baked! Memories—precious and dear to my heart!

More renovations in 2003 included a new front entrance and a paved parking lot; well deserved improvements for our many loyal customers. And twenty years later, August 2005—Our 20th Anniversary Celebration was filled with excitement and surprises! The Blue Owl Staff designed a beautiful glass mosaic which features the name of each member of our Blue Owl Staff. What an awesome treasure, hanging with pride in our front entrance opposite the 10th Anniversary Quilt!

My Mom and Dad, both celebrating their 80th birthdays in 2005, came from Texas to join in our festive anniversary celebration! Our managers, Diane Meyer and Marion Reeve, were both honored for their 20 years of dedicated service.

As you can see, my life continues to be filled with special people and precious moments—each a blessing in my life! There are many times that I think about that summer of 1985 as I prayed that I was making the right decision to open a restaurant and bakery in a little town “off the beaten path.” I realize that my prayers are being answered each and every day as we continue to grow in knowledge, experience, size, and popularity.

Our deepest thanks to all of our wonderful friends and customers who come from near and far, hoping to share the experience of a wonderful meal in a setting “just like home.”

Mary Hostetter

P.S. And yes... dreams really do come true