By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
The stops between Great Bend and Ellsworth are few and far between. Chris and Verna Montoya bought the small gas station in Holyrood in 1986, renaming the joint C & V's and turning it into a popular one-stop shop and diner. Verna passed away in 2021. After Chris's unexpected death on July 4, his five children, including his daughter, Amber Montoya, and stepdaughter, Candi Smith, decided to close the doors on July 7. Candi said it was a tough decision made for legal reasons.
"It was for sale for quite a while," Candi said. "We kept it open just because Chris had it for sale and nobody bought it. Amber moved back in May and she was settling here to take it over. Unfortunately, on July 4, our dad passed away due to the wind storm in Wilson."
The Montoyas made the shop a destination of sorts for Central Kansas travelers. Chris remodeled the store inside and out, residing and re-roofing the building in metal. He built the cabinets in the store and did a complete overhaul, including adding a dining room. He even added a free air hose for travelers. The girls are unable to pin down a date of when all the work was completed, but Amber said it's a different store now from where they had their first jobs picking up dishes and mopping floors.
"The lake traffic, the semi drivers stop in for food all the time, and the gas plant employees come over and we cater to them, and just the surrounding communities," Amber said. "I've had people in Ellsworth, Great Bend, Claflin, everywhere, asking me when it's going to be reopened because they all miss it. People tell me they grew up eating there."
C & V now employs five people, including Amber, who outright purchased the business. The store still features the basic necessities and hot food from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week. Business will remain as usual until after the New Year when Amber remodels the kitchen.
The grand re-opening on Friday, Nov. 1 will feature Amber's homemade biscuits and gravy for breakfast and smoked pulled pork nachos for lunch. The menu will also feature some new items.