Locally owned establishments are becoming extinct. Whether they are drive-in root beer stands, pubs or family owned Italian restaurants, they are rare.
An example is an Indiana icon named Welliver's Smorgasbord where my mom worked when she was in high school.
Another favourite is Art's Pizza which takes me back to childhood. I experimented for months to find the secret to the herbs in their tomato sauce! They've been making it since 1956!
When I'm in Auckland I gravitate toward Zavito's in Mairangi Bay
or The Turkish Cafe in Ponsonby. In Cincinnati, OH I'll go to LaRosa's for pizza or Skyline for chili, though I've also found some unique ethnic establishments downtown and near the university.
While any establishment can be under excellent management, I find that a family or personal caretaker will guard the reputation like no hired hand ever could. Take Zavito's for example.
Sometimes I just want to meander down the road and hide out in the corner just behind the pizza overs with my book and have a char-grilled chicken salad with guacamole, brie and all the goodies. Depending o the day, I might find Gavin there at full throttle belting out his recent favourite tune or whatever's playing at the moment. I love chatting with him. He calls me by all kinds of interesting titles since he has no idea what a chaplain is or does.
I asked Gavin once whether he hired skill/experience or good attitude. He responded quickly that he can teach skills, but a good attitude was vital in hospitality. I have to agree and his staff is excellent, or they don't stay long.
Traveling in America has reminded me of how inexpensive food is here and how big the portions are. I can opt for the safety of the chain restaurants, places where I can know what I'll get every time and will not even have to read the menu. Or, I can be adventurous and ask a local where to eat. Sometimes I'll get referred to the nearby Subway or Pizza Hut, but I'll press further and ask about local places. I'll tell you how I get on. I'll also need to remember to tip as the servers in USA are not paid minimum wage with the expectation that tips will give them incentive to provide better service. How does that make a difference, I wonder?
When next in Englewood visiting my dad, I'll ask him to take me to Cafe 776. Their hot tea is probably not worth drinking, but their burgers are amazing!
What about you? Where have you eaten lately that's worth a mention? What place in your travels is worth a detour and a moment of appreciation?
An example is an Indiana icon named Welliver's Smorgasbord where my mom worked when she was in high school.
Willie knew times were tough for my mom's family at the time, so he paid her full wages and then paid her taxes too. Their generosity may not have been good business sense, but it was typical of the Welliver's small town approach to their community. Recently, it paid off in a deal that got them out of tax trouble. As reported by CNBC:In 1946, young entrepreneur Guy "Willie" Welliver, was fresh from serving his country in WWII and eager to enter the business world. Experienced in retail clothing, he sought a suitable location to open a haberdashery in Hagerstown, Indiana. The only available location was a small restaurant. With a small amount of family borrowed money, he bought it. Through the first year, he planned to close the restaurant and open his haberdashery. "I knew nothing about running a restaurant," he said. After enjoying a "thrasher" style dinner at his nearby mother-in-law's home, his idea changed. He said, "She has two or three main dishes, many side dishes, salads and deserts--plenty to eat and select from!" The idea was born!
The next Sunday evening at his little restaurant, he offered a similar meal. He called it his smorgasbord. Patrons immediately recognized the uniqueness, and the satisfying, well prepared food with unlimited choices. Within a few months, they lined outside the door to get in during his Sunday offering. The rest is history!
HAGERSTOWN, Ind. - The new owner of Welliver's Smorgasbord plans to keep the name of the eastern Indiana landmark and hopes it will grow while sticking with its traditional roots.When I travel, I often ask locals for a favourite restaurant or diner that is unique to the town or city. Tonight I ate at Gene's Root Beer stand, a place I frequented in high school. I ordered my usual, though when I was a teenager I didn't even need to order it. My friend Cheryl would place the order to the kitchen when I drove up in my yellow pick up truck."We're here to stay," Tony Bucher told the Palladium-Item of Richmond. "It's a legacy of respect for the family and the town in general. I don't want to do anything but expand on the tradition, expand on the brand."
Bucher hopes to grow in Hagerstown, Wayne County and surrounding areas. He hopes to build more of a takeout business and wants to start offering meals daily at Across the Street Antiques.
The business had amassed more than $200,000 in tax debts, and Janie and Mary Welliver said in early June that the restaurant would close unless a buyer came forward.
The Welliver sisters said they are happy that the deal with Bucher kept their famed smorgasbord restaurant from shutting its doors. The Wellivers will continue to greet customers, and the restaurant's 50 employees will keep their jobs.
"We were praying for a miracle," Mary Welliver said. "We got it."
Hot dog with ketchup, mustard & relish, fries and a chilled mug of root beer.
Another favourite is Art's Pizza which takes me back to childhood. I experimented for months to find the secret to the herbs in their tomato sauce! They've been making it since 1956!
When I'm in Auckland I gravitate toward Zavito's in Mairangi Bay
or The Turkish Cafe in Ponsonby. In Cincinnati, OH I'll go to LaRosa's for pizza or Skyline for chili, though I've also found some unique ethnic establishments downtown and near the university.While any establishment can be under excellent management, I find that a family or personal caretaker will guard the reputation like no hired hand ever could. Take Zavito's for example.
Sometimes I just want to meander down the road and hide out in the corner just behind the pizza overs with my book and have a char-grilled chicken salad with guacamole, brie and all the goodies. Depending o the day, I might find Gavin there at full throttle belting out his recent favourite tune or whatever's playing at the moment. I love chatting with him. He calls me by all kinds of interesting titles since he has no idea what a chaplain is or does.
I asked Gavin once whether he hired skill/experience or good attitude. He responded quickly that he can teach skills, but a good attitude was vital in hospitality. I have to agree and his staff is excellent, or they don't stay long.
Traveling in America has reminded me of how inexpensive food is here and how big the portions are. I can opt for the safety of the chain restaurants, places where I can know what I'll get every time and will not even have to read the menu. Or, I can be adventurous and ask a local where to eat. Sometimes I'll get referred to the nearby Subway or Pizza Hut, but I'll press further and ask about local places. I'll tell you how I get on. I'll also need to remember to tip as the servers in USA are not paid minimum wage with the expectation that tips will give them incentive to provide better service. How does that make a difference, I wonder?
When next in Englewood visiting my dad, I'll ask him to take me to Cafe 776. Their hot tea is probably not worth drinking, but their burgers are amazing!
What about you? Where have you eaten lately that's worth a mention? What place in your travels is worth a detour and a moment of appreciation?
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