Janet Heller serves her grandma's pies at Bubbles' Cafe in Adams in Mower County

ADAMS — In a town with just under 800 people, there is one place in town where everyone can feel welcomed and "bubbly."

For nearly 17 years, Janet Heller, known as "Bubbles" to just about everyone in the community, decided to put her pie-making and restaurant expertise to work and opened Bubbles' Cafe just off of 665 Avenue and Main Street in Adams.

“I always baked at home before taking over,” Heller said. “But a key thing of what I wanted to give people is home cooking everyday from the cafe. All my pies are made with butter and cream each morning, and people love them.”

Heller grew up on a farm just south of Adams where home cooking was a way of life. Once she took over the restaurant and started bringing her kitchen skills to the town, folks in Adams and beyond gravitated to delights such as Heller’s sour cream and raisin pies.

“Coffee served with a smile, pie with a clean fork and high class service is what we’re here for,” Heller said of the service at Bubbles' Cafe.

Over the years, Heller has tweaked the recipes of her pies and daily dishes including the chicken roast and soups. There is one recipe that cannot be changed though, and that is the pecan pie.

Theodore Tollefson / Post Bulletin

“It was my grandma’s recipe, and that can’t be messed with,” Heller said.

The love of the community is a large part of what keeps Bubbles' Cafe going strong to this day. Heller said business has slowed a bit over the past year with fewer people dining out due to the cost of living going up. Still, the community has shown its support in unique ways.

“People are still willing to help me and keep the place going even if they can’t dine here as often," Heller said. "All the cows and display items I have here are gifts from customers, things I didn’t ask for. The community is good to me because I like to be good to the community.”

One partnership that shows the community support in town is with Heller’s next-door business neighbor, Heimer Foods. Curt and Lisa Heimer, owners of the grocery store, are there to help whenever the food suppliers come up short or are delayed in filling orders for Bubbles'.

“If ever we’re short on milk we can just walk over next door and get another gallon for the place,” Heller said.

Outside of the restaurant, Heller still works on the farm in the afternoons to help milk the cows and always keeps the business available to cater for weddings, funerals and holiday events. And if customers ever want a specific type of pie made in-house or for catering, Heller asks for a day’s notice to get the pie ordered.

Bubbles' Cafe is open from 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday with Fish Fry Friday’s running from 5 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.

Theodore Tollefson / Post Bulletin