Simpsons move to Leaburg Lake

LEABURG: Imagine watching the opening sequence of the Simpsons with a camera zooming through cumulus clouds towards Leaburg Lake. With the lens focused on members of the popular animated TV sitcom family, it would likely wind up at Ike’s Pizza. That’s where a full-scale model of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie is at home.

Restaurant owners Betty and Jack Koehler bought the model several years ago and installed it at Sweety’s, their yogurt shop in Oregon’s real life city of Springfield - to the east on Hwy. 126. It proved a popular draw for folks from around the world who flocked to the shop to take photos  with the characters from the satirical depiction of a middle class American lifestyle. “People from over 50 countries signed our guest book,” Betty says.

Now that the Koehlers are back on the River and running Ike’s again, they’ve brought the Simpsons with them. Fans of both pizza and TV are encouraged to stop in every day of the week, and rub shoulders with some of the biggest stars in the country.

Image above: The Simpsons, stars of America’s longest running animated show, are now welcoming folks to Ike’s Pizza.

McKenzie River Reflections