After over 40 years in Springfield, Jan. 7 will be last day for Ebbets Field on Walnut

Susan Szuch, Springfield News-Leader
·2 min read
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After over 40 years Ebbets Field, located at 1027 E. Walnut St., is set to close.
After over 40 years Ebbets Field, located at 1027 E. Walnut St., is set to close.

A longtime Springfield institution is closing its doors at the end of this week, according to a Facebook post.

Jan. 7 will be the last day for Ebbets Field, 1027 E. Walnut St.

"We've had a great run! We're bummed to announce that service at Ebbets Field as we know it will end next week," read the Facebook post. "We appreciate the community for the years of support and our staff for all the hard work."

Ebbets Field has long been a part of Springfield's restaurant scene, opening in 1982 at 735 W. Cherry St., according to Springfield News-Leader archives. It operated there for more than 10 years before Missouri State University (then Southwest Missouri State University) used eminent domain to purchase the lot to expand parking.

May 14, 1994, was Ebbets Field's first last day — until it reopened in December 1994 in its current location on Walnut Street.

Founder Nick Russo ran the Walnut Street restaurant until 2000, when he sold it to Lance Reeves. At that time, Russo left the restaurant business to "focus on teaching at Springfield Catholic High School," according to N-L archives. More recently, the restaurant had been owned by a group led by Bryan Properties LLC.

After over 40 years Ebbets Field, located at 1027 E. Walnut St., is set to close.
After over 40 years Ebbets Field, located at 1027 E. Walnut St., is set to close.

Russo left a comment on the Facebook post expressing his thanks to the customers who made the restaurant a success.

"I left a lot of physical memorabilia behind when I sold the business but I have carried with me the memories of relationships created over the near 25 years since I moved away from Ebbets Field ownership and returned to teaching and coaching and entered the married life," Russo said, posting as his business St. Michael's Restaurant and Italian Catering. "I remain thankful to all those who supported my family during the Ebbets Field era — those moments can never be taken from us."

Susan Szuch reports on health and food for the Springfield News-Leader. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @szuchsm. Story idea? Email her at sszuch@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Springfield mainstay Ebbets Field announces Jan. 7 will be last day