UEHLING, Neb. (AP)--Homer Uehling knows the score when it comes to maintaining the vitality of a small town.

That's why he and other Uehling residents worked together to open the Scoreboard restaurant in July 2008.

More than a year later, the restaurant continues to serve the community with investors who volunteer their time to greet customers, bus tables and even wash dishes. As a result, the town of 275 residents continues to have a cafe and bar on its Main Street. The restaurant serves as a meeting place for local residents and, unofficially, a senior center.

One recent morning area residents gathered for conversation and coffee.

Willard Heyne, who lives in Fremont, said he comes about every day for coffee at Uehling.

"I was afraid these guys would miss me if I didn't come," the former Uehling resident said.

Men sat at one table near the door. Women sat at another table closer to the kitchen.

"They used to sit over here. We were too noisy for them and they moved," said Gloria Wedergren, laughing.

"When someone has a birthday, they buy coffee and treats, and that's when they (patrons) come out of the woodwork," said Dallas Hilgenkamp.

Situated about two blocks west of U.S. Highway 77, the restaurant and bar are housed in two-story brick building.

Inside, the restaurant features an oak bar and forest-green walls. Part of an old-time, ornate tin ceiling was used to decorate the top portion of the walls. Some wall covering also came from a dance hall floor upstairs.

And then there is the actual scoreboard from which the restaurant draws its name.

A local resident, the late Steve Uehling, bought the scoreboard, which came from the community's auditorium before the school in this town consolidated as part of Logan View, Hilgenkamp said.

The device still bears the score from the very last game: 70-52. Uehling beat Decatur.

Restaurant patrons should consider themselves warned:

"The buzzer still works," Hilgenkamp said. "And every once in a while, we'll sneak up there and punch it, just to wake everybody up."

Before the Scoreboard's inception, a different restaurant was situated here. The owner sold it to another man, who had it for a time, then planned to sell it to someone else.

"We had word that someone out of state was going to buy it," Uehling said.

But that person wasn't going to have a cafe in the building.

So, a group of residents contacted others who would be interested in it.

"We raised enough money to buy it, and then we did some updating to it, and it's a pretty nice-looking place," Uehling said.

Area residents and others with connections to the town formed Logan Creek LLC, which has a seven-member board. The 28 investors try to meet at least twice a year.

Investors hired a manager and employees. However, to keep costs down, investors and others interested in the restaurant volunteer for various tasks.

"They greet the people and seat them. If it gets really busy, they'll help serve the food also," Uehling said. "It's worked out really well. We haven't had anyone who decided they didn't want to do it anymore."

Uehling noted this isn't a unique idea.

He's read about people in other communities who've purchased a grocery store or restaurant to keep it going.

"Our intention from the beginning was not to be a permanent owner," Hilgenkamp said. "We'd rather have an owner-operator. We're always on the lookout for possible buyers who'd maintain it, but we haven't officially found that."