The shelves stood mostly empty, but it was standing room only Friday, July 26, 2019, as patrons and friends wished a fond farewell to Cordell’s iconic Erv’s Quik-Serv. After 56 years in business, the second generation owners, Dawn and Tim Stegall, decided to retire and shut down the business.
Erv’s opened for business in March 1963, when Erv Ratzlaff, who had managed both Toot and Tell locations in Cordell, bought out the former owners and changed the name to Erv’s Quik-Serv.
Over the course of 56 years, through several locations and changes, Erv’s has been a staple of Cordell’s business community and a favored gathering spot for generations of Cordell residents.
Dozens of people came out Friday to enjoy cake and ice cream and to share their memories of Erv’s on its last day in business.
A.J. Stegall, the owners’ son who is now a photographer living and working in Oklahoma City, spent his entire childhood in Erv’s. He shared memories of his parents handing him to friends through the drive-up window. His feelings about the closing were mixed.
“I’m sad for the community,” he said. “but I am also so excited for my parents to be able to slow down and focus on their health and their lives away from the store. It’s certainly time for them to focus on themselves.”
bob henline can be reached at