By TOMMY REZAC
St. Joseph Post
FAUCETT - Whether you're leaving St. Joseph, or headed north out of Kansas City, you really can't miss it.
You know, that big suspended 70s-era Peterbilt on top the hill, 50 feet in the air off Exit 35.
That unmistakable landmark lets travelers know - that's Farris Truck Stop. And once they stop, they tend to stop back. Time and again.
"That diesel up in the air," manager Tina Masterson remarked, "Everybody knows Faucett by Farris' Truck Stop."
John Farris first opened the truck stop in 1976 and expanded on the property over the next several years. His kids, Fred, Michael and Sandra, have since taken ownership of the 40-acre complex.
But after 42 years, with no relatives in line to take it over, the family-friendly trucker's haven has been sold, and the property will soon be turned over to Pilot/Flying J.
The last day of Farris is May 2.
"Everybody is getting older," said Fred Farris. "We just decided it was probably the way to go."
The ever-changing and modernizing of the trucking industry also contributed to the closure, according to Fred.
"Nobody purchases fuel with cash anymore," he said. "If you can't take a certain credit card, you can't sell fuel. That's the way the trucking industry is going. You use a Pilot or Love credit card, and if you can't use them, they won't fuel. It just got to where it was less and less of everything, so...it was just time."
The purchase of the Farris property by Pilot/Flying J was made official in mid-March, though the discussions had started several years prior to that.
Word soon spread on CB Radios up and down the interstate that the convenience store, along with the family-style Big Rigs diner, the Barlow motel and all the rest will soon become a thing of the past.
"(Pilot/Flying J) will probably just bulldoze everything," Fred said. "Nothing would be to their specs. The way they want. I'm sure that's what they're going to do. That's what they initially said. If they decide to save some of it, that'd be up to them."
Farris' can park up to 150 trucks per night. It features showers and laundry facilities. RV parking. Scales. A deli. All the bells and whistles you could ever want.
But talk to truckers and customers, and you'll soon learn that it's not the amenities that will be missed.
Jason Davis drives for J-n-J Transport out of Battle Lake, Minnesota. He's stopped at Farris' 2-3 times per week over the last eight years.
"I go in there and I know the waitresses and I know everybody at the fuel desk," Davis said. "They know me. I know Mike the owner. I've spent the weekends here before. It's just homey. Everybody is friendly. You can just sit down and visit and talk."
That irreplaceable service, coupled with a hearty meal at Big Rig's, is what has kept dozens of truckers coming back in over and over.
"Truckers like to come in and sit down and have a good meal," said Masterson, who's managed Farris for the last seven years. "They like people to talk to and socialize and just be a person. Not just a, you know, employee at a gas station."
Dayne Matthews is a truck driver for Matthews Transportation out of St. Joseph. He's stopped at Farris' nearly every day for the last decade.
"I eat here a lot," he chuckled. "Probably more than I should. I usually get the tenderloin."
A Faucett resident, Matthews is sad to know that the Farris property will likely become another ordinary truck stop in an already saturated backdrop of run-of-the-mill, corporate-owned fueling stations with fast food joints coupled next to them.
"You don't get to go places and sit out down and eat," Matthews said. "It's all fast food. It's just not like this. You can tell when it's not family owned. There's just not any of that out there. It's all just big corporations like Love's or TA's or Pilot's, like what's coming here."
Pilot/Flying J officially takes ownership of the property on May 17, but the first Sunday in May will be the last day for Farris.
John Fenney was one of the first customers, and intends on being the last.
"I've been coming here ever since it opened," since Fenney. "It's the same breakfast. Two eggs, peanut butter and a piece of toast. It hasn't changed at all. I hate to see it go, but I guess it's going to happen."
The entire Farris complex employs more than 20 people. While some retention is possible, Pilot/Flying J plans to bring in its own staff once the transition is complete.
A native to the area, Masterson never imagined she'd work anywhere else. If one of her usuals doesn't stop in, she'll call to check in on them.
For her, and so many of her loyal customers, the closing of Farris likely brings an end to their daily family gatherings.
"I never thought I'd have to look for another job," Masterson said. "Everybody around here is family. It's not just Farris' Truck Stop. We see everybody every day. So, it's sad to see it go. Never thought I would have to worry about it, but...it's really sad."
You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.