Belle — After more than a decade of serving Greek favorites with hometown hospitality, Country Belle Café has officially closed its doors. Owners Gene and Sherry Licklider announced the sale of their restaurant and home above it, bringing an emotional end to a dream that became a cornerstone of Belle life.

“For years and years before we moved to Belle, we dreamed of living in a small town and owning a restaurant,” said Sherry Licklider. “The Country Belle Café was our dream come true. We lived upstairs, worked downstairs, and poured our hearts into every part of it. Really, we put our blood, sweat and tears into this dream.”

Since opening Labor Day weekend in 2013, the café became known not only for its authentic Greek menu and American fusions — from gyros and salads to Gene’s signature caramel apple baklava — but also as a gathering place for milestones and memories. Customers celebrated birthdays, anniversaries and homecomings around tables where Sherry greeted them like family and Gene kept everything fresh from the stovetop.

“Feeding people is my love language,” Sherry Licklider often said. “If someone has a good meal, they’re never crabby.”

Country Belle Café was named “Best Greek Food in Missouri” by Missouri Magazine for 2026, a recognition that reflected both culinary excellence and community support. At the time, Gene said freshness was always their top priority.

“Everything is made on the stovetop. No fryer. We don’t use frozen ingredients. We make our sauce from scratch,” he said.

For many, the closing feels like losing more than a restaurant. Dr. Jason Mayer of Columbia, a longtime patron, was among those who shared their feelings.

“Since Gene and Sherry opened the Country Belle Café several years ago, I have made dozens of trips from Columbia to experience their amazing Greek food and enjoy their wonderful friendship,” Mayer said. “I never imagined that I would shed a tear at the closing of a restaurant, but I got a little misty-eyed when I heard the news. Even though they will be sorely missed, they deserve all that the future holds for them.”

Former Belle resident April Blackwell reflected on years of memories with the Lickliders and how her children were received by them.

“When we lived in Belle in 2015, they would hold Wyatt while he was just a baby so I could eat. Ethan (Licklider ) would do magic tricks for the girls and play his guitar. It was always a welcomed visit,” she said. “When we moved away and the kids grew up, we always came back home to eat Greek. We celebrated there many times with friends and family.”

Her memories are full of details only a hometown oasis can create.

“Gene would always light up when my kids came in because he would blow his train whistle for them, and they would be so excited,” said Blackwell. “We loved going and seeing his train set during Christmas and the giant nutcracker that Miss Lily was terrified of. She has since outgrown that fear, but it was always funny. Their food and friendship will always be a fond memory for my kids and I. They’re a genuine couple and will always be remembered.”

Deborah Turnbough remembers the Lickliders not only for their food but also for their kindness.

“Many times when I was sick, she would bring us dinner,” Turnbough said. She recalled a favorite menu item that became a running joke among friends concerning her husband’s favorite meal. “She even had a special called the Joe Special — he would order the lamb cut in small pieces on rice with lots of olives.”

For Turnbough, the café was as much about friendship as it was about meals.

“We are going to miss you both,” she said. “We have been blessed to have been good friends and shared many times together, lots of hugs and talks throughout the years. We love you both so much. Belle won’t be the same without you.”

One of the many memories shared by friends and customers, Kassie Busby recalled a special moment tied to the restaurant.

“This was the first place Adam (her husband) took me on a date for your amazing Greek salad 10 years ago. The diner was as welcoming as the smiles on your faces. We are so happy for you both and wish you love and happiness in the next chapter of your lives!” said Busby.

Among those touched by the Country Belle Café, former staff members also shared their stories. One of them, Kelsie Hinson, reflected on the special role she played when the café first opened.

“I was their first waitress when they opened, and I’m just so thankful to have been involved. I’m sad to see this chapter closing, but I wish them happiness in their next adventure,” said Hinson.

She also had a personal message for the Lickliders.

“I’m going to miss you both so much. Thank you for all the special memories and delicious food. You brought diverse food into Belle, and it was so nice to have something different. I won’t only miss the restaurant, but you two as well and your family. You are both truly special people, and I am thankful to have been blessed with you in my life,” she said.

Wayde Smith, who began his working life at Country Belle Café as a dishwasher when he was 15, said the restaurant was much more than just a job to him during the three years he was employed.

“I couldn’t imagine a better first job, especially while I was going through school. Gene and Sherry always made me feel welcome, like family. They even helped me out if I needed anything, and that meant a lot to me,” said Smith. “Working with Gene in the back was always fun — he kept things upbeat with his joking and witty banter. I’ll definitely miss them. It’s going to leave an empty hole in my heart where the restaurant used to be. I love them for sure. They helped me so much over the years. I’m sad to see them go, but at least I can still call and text them. They’ll always be family to me.”

When speaking on the impact of the café on her life, longtime customer Eva Gehlert said the couple’s kindness went far beyond good food.

“When we first came in, we were brand new to town. They were welcoming. They talked to us like they just knew us,” she said.

The Lickliders even gave her son his first job.

“Wayde was there for three years, and he had such a wonderful time working with them.”

Gehlert shared one of her most fond memories from her early days in Belle.

“The first Thanksgiving when we moved down here, when we found Sherry and Gene, they welcomed us into their home like we were family, and we didn’t know them from anywhere. It felt so warm and fuzzy,” she said.

Now, as the couple prepares to close the café, Gehlert said she will always treasure those memories.

“Thanks for the memories, of course. Thanks for treating us like family — better than family. Thanks for being some of the best friends we’ve ever had,” she said.

Looking ahead, she added, “We look forward as a family to going out and doing more fun things and actually having fun dinners together, where they don’t have to be the cooks and the waitress. We can all finally get served together.”

For former employee Makayla Briones, the Country Belle Café was more than a restaurant. She said it was a second home and the place where her own love story began.

“The Country Belle Café has been like a second home to me for over a decade. Eleven years ago, I walked through its doors to try Greek food for the first time and was seated by a very handsome waiter. I remember thinking, ‘Even if I don’t like the food, I need to come back just to see this guy,’” Briones said.

She explained that the atmosphere and the people kept her coming back.

“As it turned out, the food was delicious, the atmosphere was warm and familiar, and the people running the show were some of the most humble and incredible individuals I’d ever met,” she said.

Several months later, Briones applied for a waitressing position.

“That handsome waiter—Ethen—wasn’t exactly thrilled, but neither of us could have imagined what the future had in store. During my time at the café, I fell in love—not only with Ethen—but with the community that gathered here. I met people I might never have crossed paths with, made lifelong friends and was welcomed into a family,” she said.

Briones said she will always hold onto the personal milestones that happened inside the café.

“I met my fiancé here, we fell in love here, and I’ll forever cherish the memory of saying ‘yes’ to forever here,” said Briones. “It feels like the perfect send-off: a closing chapter for the café, but also the beginning of a new one for me.”

She recalled small moments that made a lasting impression.

“Some of my favorite memories include slow dancing in the dining room after closing, watching the community light up with smiles — not just from the food, but from the way everyone was treated like family — and of course, my engagement,” she said.

Briones added her gratitude to those expressed by others toward Gene and Sherry Licklider.

“Sherry and Gene are extraordinary people, and I’m so grateful to them for welcoming me into the business and eventually into their family. I deeply admire their determination and applaud the love and hard work they’ve poured into the café for the past 12 years. I’ll miss this place dearly, but the memories will remain forever,” she said.

For Ethan Licklider, son of Gene and Sherry Licklider, the Country Belle Café was more than a family business. It was a place where he grew up, built lifelong connections and eventually met his future fiance.

“Coming from the big city at a young age, coming to Belle was very foreign,” Ethan Licklider said. “Small town, population 1,000, maybe 2,000 — it’s really nerve-racking being a city slicker coming down to the middle of nowhere in your mind and being welcomed with open arms. Getting the restaurant started was not an easy task. We had to renovate the whole building, and it was a whole family matter. Wouldn’t change anything.”

Ethan Licklider spoke on the mark he felt the café left in town.

“The impact that I feel the Country Belle Café has had on Belle — we’ve touched a lot of people’s lives. The people that we have made a positive impact on, I feel, will cherish the memories they’ve had here, memories that they’ve made with our family, for the rest of their days,” he said. “It’s sad. It really is sad to see everything go. But we are looking at that next chapter.”

Among his most personal memories is meeting his fiancée at the restaurant.

“The first words I ever said to her were, ‘What do you want to drink?’ She reminds me of that all the time. Not colorful, not fancy, nothing beautiful or romantic — just, ‘Hey, what do you want to drink?’ From there, the rest is history,” he said. “Things are rocky every now and then, but that usually creates the foundation for a very strong marriage. In the end, perseverance will pull you through, and 10 years in the making to get here today. We’re finally going to be tying the knot here in the near future. The possibilities are endless from there.”

Before leaving Belle, Ethan Licklider shared one final message with the community.

“Just keep your arms open for everybody, no matter if they are from neighboring towns or big cities. They might not believe the same things you believe in, but being able to welcome people will change the foundation of where this town can be in the future,” said Ethan Licklider. “It’s a small town. Change is very slow, but any amount of positive change is good. I feel Belle is going to be welcoming to the next people — whoever shows up here to replace us.”

The decision to sell was not easy. Health challenges and lingering impacts from COVID-19 led the Lickliders to scale back to part-time hours in recent years. Ultimately, they chose to move closer to their grandchildren.

“Letting go is one of the hardest things we’ve ever done,” Sherry Licklider said. “We built a life inside these walls. And so many of you became a part of it too.”

In their farewell note, the couple thanked Belle residents for welcoming them from the start.

“People told us if you’re not from a small town, you won’t be accepted,” Sherry Licklider recalled. “That wasn’t true. They really made us feel welcome.”

Gene Licklider added, “We’ve poured 20 years of blood, sweat and tears into this place. I came kicking and screaming — and fell in love right away.”

Though the doors are closed, the café leaves behind a lasting impact on Belle. From award-winning food to friendships forged across the counter, the Country Belle Café became a place where community and cuisine came together.

“Whether you were a regular or just stopped in once, thank you,” the Lickliders said. “Thank you for supporting us, for sharing this space with us and for being part of our story.”