A true Britton, South Dakota mainstay that is reminiscent of an old-style drive-in. That’s what the Kree Mee is. The business has been in operation for more than 65 years and is still going strong. Now, under the new ownership of Erin and Phil Pruitt, the Britton institution, these days called Mac’s Kree Mee, is enjoying the rush brought on by the hot days of early summer.
Most people even vaguely familiar with Britton know the Kree Mee well. Located on the east side of town right on Highway 10, the business has stood the test of time.
According to the 1984 Britton Centennial book’s entry on the Kree Mee: “Verona and Doug Wilgers purchased land from Ben Buisker, east on Highway 10, in 1956 or 1957 and built a Kree Mee stand. Later it was sold to Mrs. Tom Abraham, who operated it until 1963 when Jack Bower purchased it and named it Hildy’s. Mr. Bower owned it for 14 years, selling it to Ed Berreth in June 1977. It is now known as Dolly’s Kree Mee. They specialize in all kinds of sandwiches and ice cream.”
In the summer of 1984, Brenda and Dave Andrews purchased the Kree Mee from the Berreths and ran it for over 20 years. During their time of ownership, the Andrews bulldozed the Kree Mee part of it and rebuilt it. They also enclosed the outdoor sitting area in the 90s. They added other equipment like a new ice cream machine that produced twist cones and a grill that allowed burgers and other sandwiches to be added to the menu.
“We have great memories of operating the Kree Mee,” said Brenda. “Our three kids grew up at the business and loved it too. It was also a good way to stay connected to the community. At some point, everyone who lived in Britton made their way to the Kree Mee.”
The Andrews would eventually sell the business to Angela Grupe who sold to Lori Grupe. When Lori was ready to sell a couple of years ago, the community wondered who would take the baton next at the Kree Mee.
Luckily, there was someone who was already a Britton business owner and was up to the challenge. Erin (McMahon) Pruitt is a native of the area and was living in Sioux Falls until moving back to run a business with her sister Kelsey Waletich in 2018. The pair opened cups coffee shop.
Erin says she and her husband Phil had occasionally talked about the idea of purchasing the Kree Mee should it ever come up for sale. “It was such a huge part of the community and my childhood that we never wanted to see it closed,” said Erin.
When the business did come up for sale from Lori Grupe, Erin said her sister and cups business partner Kelsey was supportive of the idea her getting involved in another business. Additionally, Erin’s husband Phil who was and is working in the world of corporate healthcare, was up for the opportunity as well.
“We thought- let’s keep it alive and continue this great legacy,” said Phil. The Pruitts took over the business July 1 of last year. They jumped in headfirst ahead of the Fourth of July holiday. They added ‘Mac’s’ to the business name in honor of Erin’s family name McMahan.
And almost a year later, they are happy with their purchase even as they are rolling with the punches. “Honestly, we can’t believe how busy it has been,” said Phil. “We were told that the first six weeks would be the busiest, but it’s been crazy.”
“Everyone waits all winter for the Kree Mee to open so these first few weeks have been so busy,” said Erin. “The phone is literally ringing off the hook with people calling in orders.”
There of course have been many challenges. Erin explains that coming by certain menu items and supplies has been more difficult than anticipated. “We had wanted to bring back shrimp burgers, but the supplier who was going to provide them now said we can’t get them,” she said.
Even as they are busy beyond belief with the regular day to day operation, the Pruitts are trying a few new things as well. They added a new point-of-sale system so they don’t have to run orders around the building. They also designated windows for ordering and pick-ups to streamline the operation as well.
“The staff is learning as they go, so some patience is required, but everyone has generally been really great,” said Erin. Speaking of staff, she adds that they have around 25 employees, most of who are brand new high school age kids.
“Working with all these young people is great,” said Phil. “They are a hard-working group and seem to be having fun right along with us.”
Other new additions to the Kree Mee include some new menu items. “We have pulled pork and chili cheese fries,” noted Erin. “We’re also adding nachos, both ice cream and regular.”
They add though the old favorites are still available, including the secret Kree Mee recipe barbeques and black raspberry flavoring. They emphasize that everything is made to order and fresh when you get it. “We only have so many fryer baskets and so much grill space, so it might take a bit, but we hope it’s worth it,” said Erin.
As they look to the future, the Pruitts hope to continue to try new things. They plan to roll out weekly specials soon and are thinking about implementing online ordering. They also want to try some fun events like a hot rod night and maybe even an old-fashioned car hop night.
For now, the Pruitts and Mac’s Kree Mee are plenty busy, but still enjoying every minute of the experience. “Even though it’s been a whirlwind, we’re happy that we could keep the business open and give people in Britton and travelers a great option,” said Phil. “At the end of the day, the Kree Mee is just a fun place for people to hang out in the summer.”
Mac’s Kree Mee is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information and to see their menu, visit their Facebook page.
