EDDIE'S CORNER - Popular Central Montana rest stop Eddie’s Corner, located between Hobson and Lewistown, is under new ownership for the first time in 72 years.
The establishment was built by Eddie Connell in the 1940s before he sold it to the Bauman family in 1952.
“When I was growing up, there was a full-service gas station. We changed tires and changed oil and did the whole full service, wash the windows, you know, check the air in the tires. So that was kind of where I started, was washing windshields if you will,” said Joe Bauman, now former owner and manager of Eddie’s Corner.
Bauman took over the business from his father after having worked at the establishment since the age of 13.
The rest stop holds many memories for Bauman and his family, including being the location where Bauman met his wife, Lori.
“I got to give so much credit to my wife that, you know, put up with it a lot. But it was a lot, it was a great, great ride for both of us,” said Bauman.
Originally when looking to sell, Bauman first offered up store ownership to his twin daughters who decided running the rest stop was not in the cards for either of them.
Bauman then found another family willing to keep Eddie’s Corner family traditions alive; the Singh family.
The Singh family resides in Utah but owns other businesses in Montana. The family has plans to expand the rest stop by adding a full casino, which they said should be up and running by May.
With new additions, the Singh family plans to keep the full-service dining area alive, an element Bauman credits for making Eddie’s Corner one of the most well-known rest stops in Montana.
“Our biggest throwback is our full-service dining. You see less and less of that. We've always known that was kind of the core of what got us where we are,” said Bauman.
The Singh family will look to keep the traditions of Eddie’s Corner alive. “We’ve carried over the same employees. Everything is the same, so our clientele should rest assured nothing will change.”
