MILDRED — In the years since they’ve taken over the Mildred Store, Loren and Regena Lance have continued to do what they could to breathe life into a largely overlooked part of Allen County.
Their store remains a popular destination for the rural lunch crowd with daily specials and the store’s signature, mountain-sized fresh sandwiches.
Their third-Saturday-of-the-month live music shows draw crowds in the hundreds, attracting folks from across the Midwest.
And more recently, the Lances developed an RV park, catering to long-term workers, hunters and others seeking a resting spot in this quiet town of 25.
Their newest endeavor continues that trend.
Over the past four months, the Lances have installed three cabins near the RV park, which already have drawn a waiting list of those hoping to spend a night or two in Mildred.
“The idea came from me,” Regena laughed. “My husband says I need to stop thinking.”
There are more reasons than one might think of Mildred as a destination community, Regena explained.
“For one thing, we have a lot of workers, guys on the railroad, wind farms or hunters who lease ground in this area,” she said. “They’d either have to stay in Iola or Fort Scott. And there are a lot of people who would want to stay in an RV park, but they don’t have an RV.
“And we have a lot of people who come for music night from a significant distance,” she continued. “We’ve already rented out these cabins quite a bit on those nights.”
THE THREE cabins were purchased separately and come in slightly different sizes.
The smallest is 12 x 20 feet; the largest 14×30.
Each comes equipped with its own central air and heating units, refrigerator, microwave, air fryer, coffee pot, television and even a ceiling fan. Sleeping quarters are built into each cabin’s loft.
The largest cabin can easily accommodate five or more occupants. The smallest has a single bed; the mid-sized one has two sleeping quarters.
“They were basically storage sheds when we started,” Regena said.
