Beloved Lawton Cafe, Leo’s & Ken’s, Sadly Demolished

Earlier today, Thursday, March 20, the beloved Leo's and Ken's Truck Stop diner was demolished by crews. After the building was deemed to be a dilapidated structure by the city of Lawton, the property owners had no choice but the have the iconic building torn down. The question now rises: will something new be taking it's place?

After structure fire, Leo's & Ken's owners faced with D & D ruling on dilapidated building.

After a fire engulfed the building in September 2023, the owners of Leo's and Ken's new that, if they wanted to put a new diner in its place, it would have to be a completely new building with the original torn down.

At the time that the building was put on the D & D list, the owners were unsure if it was going to be possible to construct a new one.

Will there be another Leo's and Ken's taking the old spot in Lawton?

It seems as though the issue is still true, as there are no current plans to put a new diner in its wake. According to the City of Lawton's Planning Office, there have not been any new plans of a new diner taking Leo's and Ken's place. One of the office staff told us "unless someone comes in and let's us know of further plans, we have not been made aware of any future plans for the area."

Brief history of Leo's & Ken's Cafe in Lawton, Oklahoma.

Leo's and Ken's was one of the longest running businesses in Lawton, which started back as early as 1958. After several decades, the owners decided to open a sister store, Leo's Country Cafe, which still serves the Lawton community now.

Although there may never be another Leo's and Ken's, at least Lawton still has a piece of history on Lee Boulevard.