Who serves the best tenderloin? Readers say the Short Stop

By BROOKS TAYLOR

Mt. Pleasant News

NEW LONDON ? Who dishes up the best pork tenderloin in Henry County?

Readers of the Mt. Pleasant News say it is the Short Stop in New London.

Deb and Dave Kempker, owners of the short-order restaurant located on the east side of New London, were ecstatic when they heard the news last week that their establishment had won the second annual Mt. Pleasant News? Pork Tender Showdown. ?I was surprised, it was a very happy surprise,? exclaimed Deb Kempker.

The Kempkers have owned the Short Stop for 11 years and are not sure how the establishment gained its name. The name preceded their ownership and they decided to maintain the status quo.

Deb said that the couple more or less purchased it for something to do. Neither had been employed in the restaurant industry previously. ?I was a housewife and a mom and just cooked at home. The kids were all either in high school and college, and I was bored at home.?

Dave, who also is a self-employed farm equipment serviceman and salesman, said one of the reasons they purchased it was for employment for their kids. ?We did buy it because we knew it meant summer jobs for the kids.?

Since the Kempkers have owned it, the Short Stop has undergone a major expansion in 2004. A kitchen and dining room were added and the restaurant now can seat 32 hungry patrons. Dave said that people crowd in to indulge in tenderloins, burgers and other short-order menu items nearly equally between dinner and supper. ?It really is kind of a toss-up as to when we have our largest crowd.?

The Short Stop?s tenderloins are purchased at the Main Street Market in New London and the Kempkers bread them at the restaurant. They also keep a tally of how many are sold and the number currently stands at 54,400 since June 30, 2005, The couple will reward the lucky person who purchases the 60,000th tenderloin with a free tenderloin for a year, just as they have for the purchaser of the 10,000th, 20,000th, 30,000th, 40,000th and 50,000th tenderloin. A sign stands by the counter alerting customers to how many have been sold but is taken down as the race nears the next 10,000 mark.

Kempkers? tenderloins easily exceed the bun and Dave points out that the meat can be tasted with each bite. ?People like it that there is actually meat, not just breading.? The tenderloins then are cooked in transfat-free oil.

Tenderloins sell for $5, but Dave said that many people cut the specialty in half and share.

Although the tenderloin won this year?s prize, Deb said more cheeseburgers are purchased at the Short Stop. ?We sell a lot of cheeseburgers. We have the original grill on which the cheeseburger have been made on since the 1960s. The cheeseburgers are seasoned perfectly.?

The Short Stop is also participating in a University of Iowa program that stresses healthy menu options. Part of the reason is that Dave had a heart attack and triple bypass surgery eight years ago, Deb noted.

In addition to the full short-order menu, the Short Stop offers a wide array of ice-cream products, ranging from shakes and sundaes to flurries and banana splits.

The Kempkers employ 8-10 part-time employees including their son Tony and wife, Krista. ?Most of the employees are high school and college kids and all of our employees are good workers,? Deb noted.

That allows the owners to take some occasional time off. ?We try not to work weekends, but I miss it if I am not here. I get bored,? Deb said.

She did admit the couple has not had a ?real? vacation in six years but the fact didn?t seem to bother her.

The Short Stop is open seven days a week from 10:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. in the summer and 10:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m. during the other months.

?The most rewarding thing,? Dave said, ?is that you are dealing with happy people. I like to see the smiles.?