A Foodie's Dream Come True

The Shop: Fellers Food Service Equipment, 2140 W. Grand St.,
417-862-0812. (Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-5 p.m.)

Atmosphere: Open the front door to Fellers, and you feel like you've stepped into the cleanest, best-stocked kitchen around. Concrete floors, high ceilings and lots of lighting help highlight the vast array of kitchenware offered here.

Key Person: Fellers opened on September 10, 1945 on Boonville Avenue near downtown Springfield. Original owners Howard and Phyllis Feller sold used furniture in the early days of the store. When kitchen equipment was selling better than anything else, furniture gave way to food service. When Howard wanted to retire, he offered to sell Fellers to his son, Carl Fellers, who was happy to take over. Today, Fellers remains a family-owned and operated business. Angela Fellers-Beard, marketing coordinator, was my personal tour guide the day I visited the store.

What You'll Find: Row after row of kitchen equipment, gadgets and tools line the shelves of Fellers. Almost everything sold in the store is available to the public, with the exception of commercial equipment, which is only available to commercial kitchens. Angela says commercial equipment is not made for residences; many machines aren't insulated for home use and would not be insurable due to fire hazards. While the sight of huge stainless-steel equipment was breathtaking, Angela did point out that the refrigerators run very loudly, which is just another reason to not have them in the house.

Smallwares-Fellers-speak for those kitchen gadgets everyone loves-make up the bulk of the inventory. With everything from popcorn poppers to stockpots large enough to hold a whole turkey, this place had a shortage of nothing. Need a new spatula? Fellers has about 20 in all shapes, sizes and prices. How about some tongs? Well, you can have plastic, wood or metal in about a dozen different sizes. This place is like Williams-Sonoma on steroids. The name of the game here is selection, selection and more selection. I asked Angela about pots and pans, and she guided me to a section of professional cookware containing my choice of aluminum, stainless, Teflon-coated and cast iron. This is no place for someone who can't make a decision.

As I was walking around with my mouth hanging open, I had to take note of some of the unusual things I found. My favorite was an adjustable cutter with six blades. It was similar to a six-bladed pizza cutter, only the width of what you were cutting could be adjusted. It would be perfect for making noodles, and it is only $26. Next were the double-walled stainless bowls designed to keep foods hot or cold. The 1.7-quart model is $18.31. Anyone who has a home theater would need a cinema-quality popcorn popper. At Fellers, you can get a miniature version that makes popcorn and keeps it warm for $394. Need a hot dog rack to go with it? Another $688, and it's yours. I also loved the huge ice sculpture molds designed for one-time use. Angela pointed out all you need is a good box knife for cutting it open and a freezer large enough to freeze it because they are about 18 inches tall. A fruit basket shape was around $55 and would make a stunning centerpiece for a summer bridal or baby shower.

417 Verdict: I only spent an hour at Fellers Food Service Equipment, but it's apparent I needed more time. The selection is astounding, the prices are reasonable, and the staff is very friendly. They're only open on weekdays, so take a lunch break and introduce yourself to Fellers. If you can't get over there at lunch, visit fellersfoodservice.com, where you can check out an online sample of their wares. You just might not realize what your kitchen is missing until you find it here.

Savvy Shopper is a monthly opinion feature guiding readers to independent local stores. Have one to suggest?  Please E-mail us via editor@417mag.com.