By Maitland Woody
Just off Highway 81 in the tiny town of Dover, Oklahoma, a dream has finally opened its doors. For nearly two years, an old building in the center of town, once a service station and later a café, underwent a transformation. Its weathered walls have heard the clink of wrenches, the laughter of farmers, and the determined sounds of hammers and paintbrushes. On Monday, August 11, that building began a new chapter as Chisholm Trail’s Longhorn Café, the creation of Austin and Shelly Pendergraft and their three sons, Jonah, Lukah, and Judah.
Shelly and Austin have been married for 21 years and are raising their boys in the middle of Friday night lights, ballgames, and all the busyness that comes with small-town life. Jonah, their oldest, graduated last year and is now a freshman at NOC Enid, playing basketball. As the family worked on the café, they were also soaking up every last high school milestone with him.
The Pendergrafts are originally from Watonga, where Shelly grew up working at the Hi-De-Ho Café from the age of thirteen. “I loved it,” she recalls. “The farmers would come in every morning, and it felt like family. Even after I got my degree in criminal justice and worked in the DA’s office, I missed that café atmosphere—the coffee, the conversations, the sense of community.”
That pull never left. Over the years, the Pendergrafts kept an eye on real estate in Dover, a town they admired for its charm and close-knit feel. “Three years ago, we even toured the school, but it wasn’t the right time,” Shelly says. “Then one day, I saw the listing for this building. I don’t know how to explain it. I just knew. It was a God thing.”
The name Chisholm Trail’s Longhorn Café carries meaning too. The café sits along the historic Chisholm Trail, once traveled by cattle drivers in the 1800s. The Pendergrafts, who share Cherokee heritage with trailblazer Jesse Chisholm himself, felt an immediate connection. “And of course, we couldn’t leave out the Dover Longhorns,” Shelly adds with a laugh, referring to the school mascot. “Combining the two just felt right.”
The building is rich in local history. Originally a service station, its uneven floors still trace the lines of old overhead doors. A hydraulic cylinder from the former car lift now lies hidden beneath the café bar, a nod to the building’s roots. Over the years, the space became a café and later a Mexican restaurant run by the popular Carolina’s Taco Truck team. When a former café owner stopped by to see the renovation, she was moved to tears. “Seeing how much this place had meant to her was really special,” Shelly says.
The Pendergrafts purchased the building in November 2023 and began renovating, doing most of the work themselves. “We started on the outside first, which was a mistake,” Shelly admits. “It looked finished from the road for over a year, but the inside still needed a ton of work.” The process was not without challenges. At one point, Shelly even injured her Achilles tendon on a swinging kitchen door. “When I say there’s been blood, sweat, and tears, I mean it literally,” she jokes.
The décor leans into the Chisholm Trail theme with rustic wood walls, salvaged pieces from the building’s past, and nods to local heritage. A giant red ladle, once part of the original café, hangs proudly on the wall. The family hopes the café will be more than just a place to eat. They already host a non-denominational Bible study on Sunday evenings and plan to add fundraisers and outdoor games under the café’s awning.
“Our goal is simple,” Shelly says. “We want this café to become a staple in Dover, to help the town reach its potential, and to do our best to be the hands and feet of Jesus while we’re here.”
Now that the doors are open, the wait is over for the Dover community and travelers passing through. Whether you’re looking for a hearty breakfast, a hot cup of coffee, or a friendly place to gather, Chisholm Trail’s Longhorn Café is ready to welcome you. You can find their hours and view their menu on their Facebook page, Longhorn Cafe (Chisholm Trail’s Longhorn Café).
