LEXINGTON - When Jari Riisberg bought her business years ago, she wasn't sure what she was going to do with the space.

Maybe open a game room?

Or a pet store?

She loved to cook, but it was one thing to cook spaghetti for her family, quite another to make a whole business out of it.

In the end, and not knowing exactly what to expect, Riisberg decided to open a restaurant specializing in home-style cooking.

Twenty-five years later, The Filling Station, 905 W. Main St. in Lexington, is still going strong.

"I worked in nursing homes. I cleaned houses for people. I baby-sat for people. I worked in factories," Riisberg said. "I would always go back to the restaurant world."

The Filling Station opened Feb. 13, 1982. Riisberg said the secret to her success is the homemade cuisine.

Biscuits and gravy are best sellers at breakfast, she said. Hot beef sandwiches and burgers are popular lunch and dinner picks. Friday night fish fries are in a league all their own, with customers lining up to get a seat, Riisberg said.

For desert, The Filling Station is especially known for its pies. Lola Johansen made the pies for 23 years until she retired two years ago. Now, Wendie Schlattman has taken over the duty of making about 20 pies a week.

That change is one of many that happened through the years at the community fixture.

The restaurant had five workers when it opened. Now, it's home to 19 full- and part-time employees, Riisberg said.

The Filling Station added a delivery service about 15 years ago after some elderly customers couldn't make it into the restaurant on a snowy day.

About six years ago, the restaurant added Outback Pizza. The name is a reference to Riisberg's husband's background. Ove Riisberg, co-owner of the restaurant, was born in Denmark, but he lived in Australia for a number of years.

And three years ago, the restaurant expanded its eating area and kitchen to meet growing demand. The Filling Station originally seated 46 people; after the addition of a new smoking room, it seats 75, said Ove Riisberg.

Business has increase about 50 percent since it opened, Jari Riisberg said.

"People eat out more than they used to," Jari Riisberg said. "I can remember as a kid eating out was a very big treat, and now, kids don't think anything about it anymore."

Other things have pretty much stayed the same. Most of the items on the menu were served the day the business opened.

Prices have risen through the years, but they're still reasonable, Jari Riisberg said.

"In a small town, if we want people to come back every day and bring their families, we have to keep it reasonable," she said.

You can get a hamburger for $2.25, a bowl of soup for $1.95 and a slice of pie for $2.50. Eat all the spaghetti you want for $5.25 and all the fish you want for $6.25. And servings are large, Jari Riisberg said.

"That's why it's called The Filling Station; you go away full," Jari Riisberg said.

Customers are students, families and travelers passing by on historic Route 66, Jari Riisberg said. The eatery is off the old highway and is decorated from wall to wall with Route 66 memorabilia. Even some customers have brought in Route 66 materials.

Both Jari Riisberg and her husband say their favorite part of their jobs is the customers.

"I look forward to seeing all those guys come in in the morning," Ove Riisberg said.

Customers really feel at home at The Filling Station, too. Customers like Art Phipps have been patronizing the restaurant since it opened and often come multiple times a day.

"It's a nice friendly place to come to," Phipps said as he enjoyed his afternoon cup of coffee.