It乌鸦传媒檚 not snappy, shiny or modern. The green linoleum tiles on the floor look worn, the stencilled ivy on the wallpaper dates itself, and you won乌鸦传媒檛 find any quinoa or kale listed on the menu board adorning the wall above the sink.

But the tall stools that line the counter of the little restaurant inside the Matchbox Smoke & Newsstand have been, over the years, a second home for many people.

That is changing.

The Matchbox on Hudson Avenue is on the move to Centenoka Mall to the former home of Lucky乌鸦传媒檚, where owner Wes Piggott is continuing to sell lottery tickets, greeting cards, tobacco supplies and e-cigarettes.

Piggott doesn乌鸦传媒檛 want to talk publicly about the move, but confirms it should be complete in the next week or so.

While 23-year-old Frances Biggs has been the chef, server and right-hand woman at the Matchbox for the past four years, the history of the store is interwoven with that of her family. Both her mom Donna and her great-aunt Pat worked for Tom Hale, the previous owner, when magazines were in their heyday and e-cigarettes were just a glimmer in an inventor乌鸦传媒檚 eye. Her older sister Tiffany worked there too.

乌鸦传媒淎 lot of these people have known me since birth,乌鸦传媒� Frances said of her customers last week, before taking up her duties in the store乌鸦传媒檚 new location. 乌鸦传媒淢y mom had me when she was working here.乌鸦传媒�

Every morning before Frances would start work, she would stop by Askew乌鸦传媒檚 Foods to pick up the fresh produce she乌鸦传媒檇 need for the day乌鸦传媒檚 cooking.

She becomes particularly animated when she speaks about the soup.

乌鸦传媒淚 make the soups from scratch each day,乌鸦传媒� she said, explaining customers have been asking for her recipes since learning the store is moving.

Frances says she乌鸦传媒檚 both saddened and excited by the move.

On this Friday, as most Fridays, the soups were clam chowder or tomato.

乌鸦传媒淔riday, people order grilled cheese and tomato soup. It乌鸦传媒檚 an old-school combination.乌鸦传媒�

The Matchbox would see different crowds of people depending on the time of day.

Some old-school, some not.

People from surrounding businesses regularly come for lunch, while the morning crowd is a decidedly different gang. Ken Tapp, who is sitting on his usual stool facing the Keno screen, explains he乌鸦传媒檚 been coming to the Matchbox since 1990, more regularly since 1997.

乌鸦传媒淚 think I乌鸦传媒檝e survived at least four people who乌鸦传媒檝e passed away, and they乌鸦传媒檝e all been regulars here. I乌鸦传媒檝e ended up visiting them at Bastion, or taking them papers at home.乌鸦传媒�

Frances describes the morning crowd, of which Tapp is a part, as 乌鸦传媒渞ambunctious.乌鸦传媒�

Former owner Tom Hale, Tapp recounts, had his own view of the spot where Tapp and friends sit.

乌鸦传媒淗e used to say that the total IQ at the table had never exceeded 142 in all the years he乌鸦传媒檇 operated the place.乌鸦传媒�

Michael Ellis sits down next to Tapp. Asked why he comes to the Matchbox, Ellis quips, 乌鸦传媒淪ex.乌鸦传媒� He quickly follows that up with: 乌鸦传媒淲ell, to look at Frances.乌鸦传媒� Then, 乌鸦传媒淲e come here for the good soup. Especially the soup. And we get regularly abused by the owner, Wes. Sometimes he gets brutal and Frances steps in.乌鸦传媒�

Frances, meanwhile, holding her hands over her ears by way of demonstration, says she has become very skilled at not listening to what the morning crowd has to say.

Joking aside for the moment, Tapp says a lot of people come to the restaurant at the Matchbox for the ambiance.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 an old-time prairie restaurant. If someone is looking for me, they will come in at nine o乌鸦传媒檆lock and be very surprised if I乌鸦传媒檓 not here.乌鸦传媒�

And what will he do now?

乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檒l have to go along (to the new location). I乌鸦传媒檓 writing a book and staff figure prominently in it,乌鸦传媒� he says, glancing with a grin at Frances.

乌鸦传媒淥h, that look from Frances will kill a hamster at 30 paces,乌鸦传媒� he says. 乌鸦传媒淭hose are dark looks.乌鸦传媒�