Country music legend Johnny Cash once asked in song, “will the circle be unbroken?”

For the owners of the iconic The Circle restaurant in Plains, the answer is a solid NO!

Faced with potentially catastrophic and insurmountable structural damage last February, the result of a leaking water heater, The Circle owners Larry and Larri-Jo Gamboa could have thrown in the towel and walked away from the decades old business on Montana 200.

The water damage proved to be more extensive than they first imagined. Not only did the leak fatally damage the floor of the business, it create a seeming myriad of related problems.

But as Larry said, “it was tough but we decided to go all in and do whatever needed to be done.”

With a basic gutting of the restaurant and associated systems required to get the business up and running ahead of them, the couple got to work tearing out and replacing the damaged areas.

Then came the next crisis, the outbreak of COVID-19 and the resulting business shutdowns and closures deemed necessary to halt the spread of the virus.

“We were making good progress,” Larry said during an interview inside the newly refurbished building. “But the Covid-19 slowdown put contracting work way behind schedule.”

Along the way they replaced the ceiling, roof and unique tiles throughout the business which has been known among other things for its Coca-Cola themed décor the gives it the look of diners and cafes from the heyday of such establishments.

They also expanded the drive-up window part of the building, adding several feet and eliminating what had been a tight squeeze for customers to pull up to the drive-up window.

Along the way they retained and in many cases improved upon the interior look, keeping alive the Coke them and the black and white tiles that existed before. Still to come are new booth seating configurations in an expanded inside seating area.

They are in the process of adding decorative awnings and landscaping improvements to enhance outdoor esthetics.

“We didn’t want to do things in a patchwork manner,” Larry said. “This business has been here for more than 50 years and we wanted to make sure it lasts at least another 50.”

Larri-Jo, who has worked at the restaurant for the past 20 years, admitted the work was hard but well worth it.

“This place has been a huge part of my life,” she said. “But we love living in this town and wanted to do what was required to keep the business going and make it better than before.”

Four of the couple’s five children have worked in the business, as have several local residents, over the years. They have employed many young local workers, giving them in many cases their first job. “A lot of people remember working here growing up,” Larry said.

Their daughter Grace has used the job to help her pursue a career in nursing and is currently working in the business, which has been open to drive-through business and take-out orders for the past two weeks.

The building is not the only phase of the business that has expanded. The new menu, which will retain many of the previous items, now includes such favorites as Chicago-style hot dogs and “street” tacos, an authentic version of the Hispanic food favorite.

Current plans call for a grand opening to be held the weekend after the Fourth of July, at which time indoor dining will be available. The Gamboas are hoping to attract what is expected to be a steadily increasing stream of tourists as the summer goes on.

“This town needs good places for people to go,” said Larry, who has lived in Plains the past 10 years, after working several years in the Northern California restaurant industry. “We still want to be a good burger place, but also offer more than before.”

The Circle, which is currently open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., also expects to return its popular morning breakfasts as things get rolling.

“We want to do everything we do really well,” he said. “This is a perfect place to live and raise children and meet good people. I was never more lonely in my life than when I was living in a big city.”

The Circle is unbroken.