Among Paducah’s best burger joints, the Station Burger Company is the new kid on the block. But then again, no other restaurant has caused quite a sensation in the burger world like they have in quite some time.
Like most great restaurant ideas, this one started in a home kitchen. “We were already making this kind of food at home,” says Carl Medlin, originator of The Station. “We’d have people over and make these burgers, and everyone loved them. We made them for a fundraiser at our church, and they were a hit. It would have taken three car washes to get what we did in that one day. So we thought if people loved the food we were making that much, it would make a great restaurant.”
The cornerstone of the restaurant is the Station Burger patty, a bacon-infused beef burger made fresh in the kitchen. And all of their burger varieties are available with the Station Burger patty. From the Arson Burger, to the Back Draft Burger, to the Chief (a one-pounder spread out over an 8-inch bun) the Station Burger is a tasty twist on the American classic.
Many of our Facebook fans touted the Station as having the best burger around, but perhaps the greatest compliment comes from Marshall of Marshall's BBQ. "You know I cook the best burger around," he laughs, "but have you had one from the Station? It's the first burger that's impressed me that much in a long time."
Another favorite is the Station’s fries, which are made with red skin potatoes. “These potatoes are harvested year-round, so I know I am getting the freshest available,” says Carl. “People love ‘em. We’ve already gone through about 90,000 pounds so far.” A pallet of 50-pound potato bags sits in the kitchen, and they are cut into fries just minutes before they are fried. The result is french fries that are reminiscent of home-made fried potatoes.
Carl also wanted to do more than just sell hamburgers. “This place is to be a part of the community,” he says. Using his experience as a volunteer firefighter, Carl themed the restaurant with a fire station motif in honor of our first responders. One wall is covered in photos of local firemen and police officers. “I actually took a lot of those photos,” says Carl. “And customers have brought in many more. The collection keeps growing. We have photos of local first responders from 1910 through today. This wall tells some of the stories of our community. These are our neighbors and friends.”
The Station has also amassed a large collection of patches. Most are local, but some are from as far away as Ireland. One special patch is from the uniform of a fire fighter who died in the World Trade Center attack on 9-11. “People are bringing these in from their personal collections and allowing them to be displayed for all to see. We’ve adopted the motto ‘Where Hero’s Eat’,”
And it won't be long before you’ll see The Station in other parts of the country. Franchising is in the works, something Carl envisioned from the beginning.
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