Tucked off Highway 17 on Town Hall Road outside of Gleason is a rarity in area eating establishments, Jeanie’s Girls Sandwich Café at the Land Animal Park.
Founded last year by Sara Burgener and her five sisters and brother, the eatery has built a growing list of regulars with its unique mix of good food, drink and the occasional live Blues show. Throw in the domestic animals in large pens and you have an atmosphere that is family friendly and even inviting.
Burgener moved back to her native Gleason after a little over nine years in Seattle, Washington. She and her siblings grew up on a large dairy farm that also had a 10-acre deer farm. She held a wildlife rehabilitation license and worked with raccoons, foxes, squirrels, deer and even a great horned owl. 
“We even raised three bear cubs one year,” she said. “That’s how I got into it.”
After moving back to the area, Burgener wanted to do something that got her involved with animals again and decided on the animal park, located seven miles from the farm she grew up on. While it features mostly domestic animals, along with two emus for an exotic flavor, she is working on getting more animals on display.
The sandwich shop, which features a variety of deli, sub and specialty sandwiches, along with wraps all at affordable prices, was designed to help support the park. Throw in a mix of art and live music and you can see where the attraction is.
The primary dining area is a collection of picnic tables near the little barn that houses the kitchen. But scattered around the area are other pieces of lawn furniture, a two seat yard swing, a foosball table, sandbox, croquet set and other amenities. Burgener says that on rainy days, people drive right up to the order window of the barn and then park in the lot to eat.
“We’re getting a lot of regulars from last year and some new faces, too,” she said Sunday while Michael Murphy and the M.O.B. played for the café’s first Blues and Brews event of the summer. Murphy played a solo show at the park last year as one of the first acts of the series and returned this year with his full band.
Burgener’s sister Sharon Burrow runs the eatery on a day-to-day basis and is thinking of adding to the operating hours for the second year. Currently the café and park are open Friday-through Monday 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. June through August.
“We’re thinking of adding Thursdays this year,” Burrow said. “But that will be by trial and error.”
Amy Ashby, an area computer programmer by day and in demand Blues bass player by night runs the website for the park and café. She also books the bands for the once a month Sunday Blues and Brews shows. She has Aaron Williams and the Hoodoo lined up for Aug. 16, but hasn’t nailed down an act for the last Sunday in July or first Sunday in September show yet. She even joined Murphy’s band onstage for a few songs Sunday.
There are no cover charge for the concert series but free will donations are accepted to help cover the cost of entertainment.
For more information on the café or park, go to their website at www.thelandanimalpark.com or call Burgener at 873-3331.