Owner of the beloved Northport restaurant City Cafe, Joe Barger, has passed away at the age of 75 after weeks in hospice care according to a story from the Tuscaloosa News.

The iconic establishment has been open in downtown Northport since 1931. Barger bought the restaurant in 1974 after a turbulent period during the 60s when it went through four owners over five years. He reportedly purchased the restaurant from Lawrence Butler, who gave up on the location just weeks after purchasing it in cash and gave it to Barger on credit.

It wasn’t long before University of Alabama students and even the legendary Paul “Bear” Bryant caught on to the good food at a reasonable price.

“He’d always come in and we’d be full,” Barger said of the coach in a 1993 interview, “and he would look around and see someone sitting by themselves, and he’d ask if he could sit down and eat with them.”

After a couple of years under Barger’s ownership, the restaurant began to thrive once again. A true down-home southern tradition, City Cafe did not accept credit cards until 2007.

Barger’s family including daughters Geanie Brown and Jodi Rosenberg will now run the restaurant. City Cafe will be closed for the remainder of the week as they honor his legacy.

Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP and hear him every weekday morning from 6 to 9 a.m. on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5, available free online.