It is now officially summer in Coeur d'Alene, which means Paul Bunyan Pak-Out on Northwest Boulevard can expect a high volume of residents and visitors who are in search of tasty, old-fashioned hamburgers and creamy, cold shakes. The iconic 25-foot Paul Bunyan statue has been greeting visitors and towering over his downtown kingdom since 1952.

But it's not just the good old lumberjack people know and remember when they eat at the Bunyan. Manager Carla Harris has been a familiar face at the restaurant for 31 years, making her a local celebrity.

Born and raised in Kellogg, Harris began at the Bunyan when she was only 19. She has trained countless individuals through the years, so many that she can't even estimate. Just about everyone in Coeur d'Alene who has ever eaten at the Bunyan has met Harris or at least been a recipient of her handiwork. When she is "off duty," and out in the community, people will wave to her or come up and say hi and tell her about their favorite Bunyan item or story. She said it's pretty cool to work somewhere that is iconic and exclusive to the area.

"There's not one everywhere," she said. "It's kind of neat to feel like you work somewhere and you can't go to another state and see one there."

Whether she is delegating through three hours of intense lunch or dinner rushes, manning a grill full of Blue Ox burgers or preparing a crew of fresh-faced youngsters for a busy summer season, Harris is a Bunyan girl through and through. And she never misses the Paul Bunyan Days celebration every Labor Day weekend in St. Maries. To miss the festivities just wouldn't be a very "Bunyan" thing to do.

Do you remember what it was like when you first started?

I do. It was small and not so busy. It was only drive-through and walk-up window at that time, there was no inside seating ... I remember I had really afro-curly permed hair (giggles). And the music, rock, like AC/DC, Journey, Loverboy.

What is it that keeps you there?

I have an amazing boss, and I love the customers that I've gotten to know over the years.

Does it ever get tedious?

It does. There are days when it's like, 'Oh my gosh, not one of those days again,' I guess, so yeah a little bit. But even when the day can't get any worse, that's the challenge for me, to make it better and to just get through it.

How has the old-fashioned hamburger industry changed since you've been there?

Upgrading from how we used to hand-write all the tickets to actually having the computer where you just punch it in and it comes up on the screen. That's changed a lot. And it just seems like now we get a lot more of the younger crowd, and I think that's due to the cheaper hamburgers. Our prices, I think, are more reasonable than they used to be ... our singles are $1.99, doubles are $2.59 no matter what you order, and I think that brings in more of the college crowd, because they can afford it. I think it's more affordable now, with the cheaper hamburgers for the younger crowd.

Would you say that you had older customers before?

I think so. I think before, a lot more people who have lived here forever would always come in. We still see some of them, but not as many.

What do you think it is about Paul Bunyan that keeps customers returning?

Good food, very good food, and just that it has been there (so long), it's kind of a landmark. And the huckleberry shakes. The huckleberry shakes bring people in like crazy, especially in the summer. And to see me (laughs). Just kidding.

What would you is say the most challenging part of your job as manager?

Probably getting a really good crew and keeping a good crew. It goes in stages. It's a lot of younger kids, so it's hard to keep them there for a long period of time. It's a lot of people's first job, so it sometimes is a challenge because not only are you their boss, but you're their second mother, so sometimes it's hard to be both.

What is the most rewarding part?

I know so many people that say they hate their jobs. I generally like my job. I feel at home when I'm at work. And I feel accomplished. It's a challenge for me and that's a good feeling for me. It's like a challenge for me every day. I want more. It's never busy enough, I always want it to be busier.

Is it fun when it gets crazy busy?

It is. It's hard for me more when I'm not there, like today I know they were slammed, and I sit at home and I stress and worry ... but it is a challenge for me just to see how much I can handle and how much I can do.

Do you have a lot of regulars? And do older regulars share stories of the old-school Bunyan?

Oh yeah. We'll have people come in and say that they used to work there, or somebody in their family used to work there back in the '50s. And my boss who owns it (Bob Ovnicek), he actually worked there when he was in high school, he was like 14 when he started ... people have commented on how it was kind of 'the place,' because I think way back in the day it was open a lot later, so it was more of a hangout, from what I've heard from people. I think Bob even told me that.

Do you look forward to the summer onslaught of customers?

I do. I look forward to it being busy. Through the winter, I just want it to be summer, I want it to be busy. I love busy.

How do you prepare?

Mentally or physically? (laughs) I just know that in the summer I'm going to work 50-plus hours a week. It's just what I do. That's when I work a lot, so I don't do a lot outside of work ... I make sure that I order extra. I over-order, sometimes I don't order enough, like today (laughs).

What is your favorite menu item?

Probably the homemade onion rings.

Do you know the story behind why it's called "Paul Bunyan?"

No idea. I don't even know if there really is one. I really don't. I'm sorry (laughs).

From a managerial standpoint, has Paul Bunyan felt the squeeze of modernization or business loss because of other restaurants that are quicker or more modern?

I think any time something new goes in downtown, it affects us a little bit, at first, but then it bounces back. People are going to try something new or different.

What do you do when there are too many cars in the drive-through? How do you handle it?

This is what we had for space, we did what we could do to make it work ... we get customers that will comment, or people who will pull in and realize there aren't any parking spots. The parking lot is small and it's hard to get in and out of sometimes, but a lot of times if you drive around the block it will free up and it's worth the wait.

Do you have a rivalry with Zip's?

No, I don't think so. I don't feel like we do, I mean, we might have an unspoken one (laughs).

You have a fry sauce rivalry, I'm sure of it, from an outsider's point of view. Well let me ask you this: Who would win a fight between a rabbit on roller skates and a lumberjack?

The lumberjack? I don't know, or the rabbit on roller skates (laughs).

Do you ever just gaze out that drive-through window and let your mind wander?

There's times that yeah, I'll think about, in general, I never in my life would have thought that I would have been there for 31 years. It wasn't like my life-long dream or anything, it just kind of happened ... it doesn't feel like its been 31 years ... I feel like sometimes people look at me like, 'Oh my God, I can't believe she's done fast food 31 years,' and I sometimes take that as them looking at me negatively, I guess, but in my mind I feel like I'm that person that probably gives your son or daughter their first job, and also teaches them, I feel, really good work ethic and how to go on in life ... I own a home, I own vehicles, it's not like I'm making minimum wage. I feel like what I do for a living is pretty good.

Have you ever thought about if you wanted to do anything else?

Not really. I don't really remember way back when what my interests were. A lot of people all the time ask me, 'Gosh, you've worked here so long, why don't you own the place?' or, 'When are you going to own the place?' and I always just tell them I have no desire to own it. I like doing what I do. I manage it, and that's enough for me. There's four other Paul Bunyans now, and I've gone to all of them and helped train people and helped them get going for the first month or so. And I enjoy that, but coming back to Coeur d'Alene is like coming home. That's my home base. Going (to other locations) is like visiting extended family, but after a while you're ready to come home.

What is it like working for Bob and Sharon Ovnicek?

They're wonderful. They're like a second family. My 50th birthday they took me to Las Vegas. It's little things like that that I love. When I was there 25 years, they paid for me, Tom and Kaytlyn to go to Disneyland ... they've taken all the managers twice now to Vegas just as a 'thank you.'

Does the big Paul Bunyan statue ever creep you out?

No (laughs). But you know what my biggest fear is, I'm always afraid someone is going to run into it and it's going to fall (laughs). I don't know why but I always think about that. That's what I think when I'm standing there looking out the window. If a car ever ran right into that and it fell, what would we do? Call 911? I'd call you for a story! (laughs)

Meet Carla Harris

Date of birth: Jan. 31, 1964

Family: Husband Tom, daughter Kaytlyn, and German shepherd/border collie mix Miley

Favorite book: Anything from Danielle Steel

Favorite spectator sport: NASCAR

Favorite team: Seattle Seahawks

Favorite music: Country

Favorite movie: "Miracle on 34th Street"

Hobbies: Family time and reading

Quality you admire most in a person: Honesty

Biggest influence on your life: My dad, Bob Allen

Best advice you ever received: From Dad - It doesn't matter what kind of job you have or what kind of job you do, as long as you do a good job and work hard.

Bucket list item: To visit every state in the country, and to be on the front page of the newspaper.