Saturday will make the end of an era downtown as Sundance Restaurant closes its doors.

Karen Carpenter has been in business at Sundance for 34 years, beginning near where the Complex is presently located before moving to her current location in the shadow of the courthouse. Karen said she came to Smithville literally from the sea more than three decades ago.

Her husband was a merchant marine captain. “We came to Smithville and there wasn’t any gainful employment,” she grinned. “There weren’t any ships coming in.”

“I opened the business for us both to work in it and bring him home,” she said, noting she had been a chef on the ship her husband captained so she had a food service background. “He was the captain and I was the admiral.”

Health food was her first love. “As it evolved it turned out to be a restaurant with a little bit of health food,” she noted.

Karen said it is the people that have kept her going all these years and it’s the people she is going to miss.

“I love the people,” she said. “I’m going to miss my customers, I’m going to miss my employees because they are like my family. The customers are like my family. I’ve been here 34 years. I’ve seen generations grow up in this place.”

As for her reason for closing, Karen said it’s that time. “I’m tired,” she said. “After 34 years I need to retire.”

Karen said there are a few who have showed interest in maybe re-opening the restaurant so there is hope Sundance or another restaurant may again open its doors downtown.

“It was a bitter sweet decision to make because I love what I do but my body is screaming at me and telling me it’s time to cut back and rest for a while,” Karen said. “I’m not leaving Smithville. I love Smithville but I am going to travel and kick back.”

The last day for Sundance is Sept. 29.