Eddie’s to close Wednesday

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Eddie Mode, owner of Eddie’s Corner Café, holds his 2012 First Friday Soup Cook-off award. Noblesville Main Street has announced it will name its annual event after Mode, a two-time and defending champion of the event. (Submitted photo)
Eddie Mode, owner of Eddie’s Corner Café, holds his 2012 First Friday Soup Cook-off award. Noblesville Main Street has announced it will name its annual event after Mode, a two-time and defending champion of the event. (Submitted photo)

One of Noblesville’s popular downtown restaurants will be closing its doors on July 31.

Well-known for his personality and generosity, Eddie Mode opened his restaurant, Eddie’s Corner Café, 17 years ago.

“My dad’s 87, so this may be a blessing in disguise,” Sandy Ehrgott, Mode’s daughter, said. “He’s pretty sad about it. The community has been wonderful. Being a part of downtown has been a joy in our lives.”

The restaurant is on its seventh page of customer’s contact information to inform them of the businesses’ future plans. Ehrgott said a new location is a possibility, but unlikely.

“There’s always an ending, there’s always a beginning,” she said. “I don’t know if it’s going to happen. It’s not looking like it is.”

Ehrgott said the owner of the building at 101 N. Tenth St. gave notice to Mode two weeks ago that his lease was not being renewed.

“They wanted to do something else with the building,” she said. “We’re not bitter; they are wonderful people. People have the right to do whatever they want with their property. We wish them well.”

The building is owned by Nova 29 Property Management, which purchased it in January.

“We at Nova 29 Property Management appreciate what Eddie’s Corner Cafe has meant and provided to the City of Noblesville,” Craig Crosser with Nova 29 said. “We unfortunately were unable to renew the lease due to an inability to agree upon lease terms with Eddie’s Corner Cafe. We at Nova 29 wish them well in the future.”

As of print time, Mode was out of town on a mission trip to Nicaragua and was not available for comment. Since 1997, he has made a number of trips to Nicaragua where he works at an orphanage. Mode has helped build two schools and a number of single-family homes for residents there. In an Aug. 2, 2011, Current in Noblesville story, Mode said helping children in Nicaragua is “the best thing I’ve ever did in my life.”

“Eddie’s a personal friend with whom I have much respect for his support of the community. He’s frequently asked to sponsor and be involved in many worthy causes and to the best of my knowledge, he’s always said yes, because that’s the kind of guy he is,” Sharon McMahon, Noblesville Chamber of Commerce president, said.

Mode, a veteran of World War II and Korean War, is a life member of Navy Club USA Hamilton County Ship No. 29. Ship Commander Ron Wilson said Mode signed on the first time he was asked to join the club and insisted they meet in his restaurant.

“He gives of his time and energy to our club and makes it a point to make sure when we have special events to give a helping hand each and every time,” Wilson said. “What an honor it’s been for all our members and officers to get to know Eddie and to have the opportunity to work with him and his family. All the members of Ship No. 29 want to give a special ‘Thank you!’ to Eddie and we wish him fair winds for the rest of his voyage.”

To reward customers, Eddie’s Corner Cafe will be offering a free lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, the final day of business.

“We’re not celebrating a closing; we’re celebrating 17 years of friendship and food,” Ehrgott said.


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