By Carleen Wild
Moody County Enterprise
It’s been a long time coming.
For Tracy Jensen, opening the restaurant side of The Filling Station in downtown Flandreau feels a little bit like finally exhaling after holding her breath for the better part of three years.
She and her husband, Jim, purchased the former Fajitas Bar & Grill building in late 2023 with a vision of creating something a little different — a place with nostalgic charm, a welcoming atmosphere and a space where you might just put your phone down for a little while.
The bar side came first, opening about two years ago while remodeling work continued on the diner portion.
On April 1, the restaurant officially opened its doors.
“Everybody kept asking, ‘Is this an April Fools joke?’” Jensen said with a laugh.
So far, the response has been exactly what she hoped for.
“Everybody’s been welcoming…they all tell me the food is great, so I mean, it’s been great.”
Walking through the doors, it’s easy to see the vision the Jensens had in mind. With 1950s music softly playing in the background, classic diner-inspired decor and a warm, inviting feel, The Filling Station aims to transport you somewhere a little simpler.
“Everybody says they love the vibes. It’s got a modern ’50s feel. Everybody says they feel like they’re stepping back in time, which is exactly what I wanted.”
But for Jensen, it’s about more than just aesthetics.
“There’s a lot of older and younger generations that I’ve caught singing to the music, and they’re not on their phones,” she said.
“And I absolutely love that. Even if it’s 20 minutes to get away from the phone and actually have a conversation and talk and have fun, that’s what I wanted.”
For Jensen, opening a restaurant has been a longtime dream — one that looks a little different than her professional background might suggest.
An LPN by trade, Jensen said stepping into restaurant ownership has come with a steep learning curve.
“This is out of my comfort zone, I’m not a computer person. Learning the POS (Point of Sale) system alone was a challenge.”
Opening the bar first, she said, gave her time to ease into ownership and operations before launching the diner. Now, with the diner open and customers filling booths, she said the emotions have ranged from excitement to stress to gratitude.
“Wonderful, stressful — every single emotion you can possibly think of,” Jensen said.
Her biggest goal, she said, has remained simple.
“I want people, when they walk in the doors, to feel like family…I want this to feel like home.”
The diner side is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and reopens for the evening from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday dining hours are 11 .m. to 10 p.m.
The bar and liquor store side are open Monday through Thursday from 5 to 10 p.m., and on Friday and Saturdays from 5 p.m. to close.
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