BATES — The Austin House is under new management.

Longtime owner/operators Jeff and Christy Keffer sold the business at Austin Junction in early April to current owners Mark and Mindi Shelton after 22 years of running the restaurant and store. The purchase price was not disclosed, but an Eastern Oregon Realty listing for the business says it has sold and that the business had a $450,000 price tag.

Following that purchase, the Sheltons spent a few months renovating and upgrading the restaurant before reopening it to the public. The Austin House’s first business day after the ownership change was Aug. 5, according to the Austin House LLC Facebook page.

Mark and Mindi Shelton relocated to Bates from Molalla but are former residents of Eastern Oregon. Mindi grew up on a ranch in Hereford, and Mark had been a resident of Union for many years.

The opportunity to purchase the Austin House came about due to changes in the lives of the Sheltons in relation to COVID mandates. The changes presented the Sheltons with an opportunity to try and get back to Eastern Oregon.

“I mean, it caused my husband to lose his job, so it meant we had changes going on,” Mindi said. “We started looking at a possible move and we found that this was for sale. Like I said, I grew up on a ranch in Hereford, so I was aware of the Austin House, so it was also an opportunity for us to come back to Eastern Oregon because that’s where we were from.”

Both Mark and Mindi Shelton bring many years of culinary experience with them to the Austin House. Mark has an extensive background working in food trucks and catering. Mindi held multiple jobs in food service, both “back East” and in Oregon, before teaching culinary arts at Colton High School for 16 years.

The restaurant has seen some changes. The old gift shop is no longer in operation, although Mindi said she expects to sell small gifts and souvenirs soon.

The lunch menu is set to hamburgers and a variety of sandwiches. Dinner will feature a rolling menu with one main dish per night, a circumstance Mindi says is due to her and her husband being the only workers at the restaurant.

“We’re doing a rotating menu where we’re doing chicken or a poultry on Thursday, pork on Friday, beef on Saturday, Sunday dinner or chef’s choice on Sunday, and Saturday is burger night,” Mindi said.

The return to Eastern Oregon has been a welcome change for the Sheltons, who get to reconnect with old friends and the wider community in general. Overall, the Sheltons are just happy to be back in Eastern Oregon doing something they enjoy.

“We love being back,” Mindi said. “It’s amazing to me. Closer to family and just back on this side of the state. We’re loving what we’re doing. It’s great living here and working here. Yeah, we’re loving it.”

Located at the junction of Highways 26 and 7, just south of Bates State Park, the Austin House is open Thursday through Monday for lunch and dinner. Lunch hours are 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dinner hours are 5-8 p.m.