Greensboro like a lot of small towns these days has a shortage of businesses. We have had several restaurants. Sadly they just can't seem to make it. I'm certain a lot of that has to do with codes, permits and the health department regulations. I hear another attempt is going to be made and I wish them nothing but luck. I admit I am not one to eat out often and so offer little in the way of financial support. Still, if it is available I will go out to breakfast or lunch on occasion. I don't know much about the plans for this latest endeavor but have my own ideas. I am thinking of the lunch places I had growing up. My favorite was a place called Speeds. That was because a man called Speed owned it. I doubt that was his real name, monikers were applied freely back in those days. They may be favorable, or shall we say, descriptive. Speed King also drove the ambulance is what I was told. The name seemed to fit and Speed also made French fries pretty quick ! For at least two years that is what I ate for lunch. A plate of fries and a coke, cost a dollar. I walked down from the high school along with everyone else.
Now Speeds was really nothing more than a lunch counter. You had that long counter with stools. On one end was the grill and the opposite had the soda fountain. The same layout was at another place called the Marmador and still another called Greens. George Greens was below the bridge and a little too far for the high school lunch crowd. Speeds and the Marmador enjoyed all that business. The Marmador was for a certain crowd " the in crowd " and speeds for everyone else. Funny I don't remember ever eating at the Marmador, I was loyal to Speeds' when I was uptown and went to Greens when I wasn't. It is that style of restaurant I believe would make it here. All that is needed is a grill, a toaster and a coffee maker ! With those things in place you are ready to go. No need for a chef, no you want a short order cook. For those of you old enough to remember, I'm thinkin about Mel from Mel's diner. A white apron wrapped around his midsection and a hat. Mel wore a Navy " Dixie " cup. If it could be made on the grill, it was available. Oh yeah, you do need that deep fat fryer.
I don't know much about the requirements these days and so I'm not certain it is even possible. The grill was right there behind the counter. You could watch your breakfast or lunch being prepared right before your eyes. The cook also waited on you. Well, unless it was the lunch crowd then he had help. Maybe these days that grill has to be in a separate room altogether. The drinks were all fountain style. Cherry coke was a treat ! The sink and dish washing was also right there behind the counter. That probably wouldn't fly today. The health people being concerned about detergents and food getting mixed up. LOl, the government does have to protect us from our own stupidity I guess. At least that is the reason for all these agencies and inspections. Funny I never heard of anyone getting sick from any of that.
Speeds and the others all opened early in the morning. The guys would all gather in those places before going off to work. Most of them were tradesman. Carpenters, plumbers, and the like. They got their morning coffee, maybe have a toasted corn muffin or toast and talk over the days work. They worked in or around town and so didn't have much of a commute. That wouldn't be the case here in Greensboro though, most folks have a little bit of a drive to get to work. Now, it is a quick stop at Dunkin' Donuts or wherever. No morning team building going on. That could be why there are so many problems in the workplace these days. A bunch of strangers working together.
After the morning rush it was time to get ready for lunch. I know speeds started cooking fries and would have a good amount ready as soon as the lunch bell rang. They were always hot and ready. He had those heat lamps going full blast. The kids with a bit more funds than myself would order cheeseburgers, hot dogs or grilled cheese sandwiches. Those were the staples. I couldn't say for sure how late Speeds stayed open as I wasn't uptown much after five o'clock, except maybe on the weekend. I do know that Greens closed about six. Greens wasn't a place to go to dinner ! Nope, it would be open about 5 in the morning and he needed his rest.
I guess I just described the 1960's in small town America. A regular Norman Rockwell existence. I would like to see that return. The problem being getting people to stop long enough to enjoy that. Everyone is in such a hurry to get somewhere these days. Grab and go is the plan these days. Well with that we have become so concerned with grabbing a buck, we let America go. At least the America I remember from my childhood. I'm thinking America needs more lunch counters. And not for the nostalgia but for the social aspects of that. We weren't thinking about any of that in 1965, it was just the way it worked. Worked pretty darn good too.
Now Speeds was really nothing more than a lunch counter. You had that long counter with stools. On one end was the grill and the opposite had the soda fountain. The same layout was at another place called the Marmador and still another called Greens. George Greens was below the bridge and a little too far for the high school lunch crowd. Speeds and the Marmador enjoyed all that business. The Marmador was for a certain crowd " the in crowd " and speeds for everyone else. Funny I don't remember ever eating at the Marmador, I was loyal to Speeds' when I was uptown and went to Greens when I wasn't. It is that style of restaurant I believe would make it here. All that is needed is a grill, a toaster and a coffee maker ! With those things in place you are ready to go. No need for a chef, no you want a short order cook. For those of you old enough to remember, I'm thinkin about Mel from Mel's diner. A white apron wrapped around his midsection and a hat. Mel wore a Navy " Dixie " cup. If it could be made on the grill, it was available. Oh yeah, you do need that deep fat fryer.
I don't know much about the requirements these days and so I'm not certain it is even possible. The grill was right there behind the counter. You could watch your breakfast or lunch being prepared right before your eyes. The cook also waited on you. Well, unless it was the lunch crowd then he had help. Maybe these days that grill has to be in a separate room altogether. The drinks were all fountain style. Cherry coke was a treat ! The sink and dish washing was also right there behind the counter. That probably wouldn't fly today. The health people being concerned about detergents and food getting mixed up. LOl, the government does have to protect us from our own stupidity I guess. At least that is the reason for all these agencies and inspections. Funny I never heard of anyone getting sick from any of that.
Speeds and the others all opened early in the morning. The guys would all gather in those places before going off to work. Most of them were tradesman. Carpenters, plumbers, and the like. They got their morning coffee, maybe have a toasted corn muffin or toast and talk over the days work. They worked in or around town and so didn't have much of a commute. That wouldn't be the case here in Greensboro though, most folks have a little bit of a drive to get to work. Now, it is a quick stop at Dunkin' Donuts or wherever. No morning team building going on. That could be why there are so many problems in the workplace these days. A bunch of strangers working together.
After the morning rush it was time to get ready for lunch. I know speeds started cooking fries and would have a good amount ready as soon as the lunch bell rang. They were always hot and ready. He had those heat lamps going full blast. The kids with a bit more funds than myself would order cheeseburgers, hot dogs or grilled cheese sandwiches. Those were the staples. I couldn't say for sure how late Speeds stayed open as I wasn't uptown much after five o'clock, except maybe on the weekend. I do know that Greens closed about six. Greens wasn't a place to go to dinner ! Nope, it would be open about 5 in the morning and he needed his rest.
I guess I just described the 1960's in small town America. A regular Norman Rockwell existence. I would like to see that return. The problem being getting people to stop long enough to enjoy that. Everyone is in such a hurry to get somewhere these days. Grab and go is the plan these days. Well with that we have become so concerned with grabbing a buck, we let America go. At least the America I remember from my childhood. I'm thinking America needs more lunch counters. And not for the nostalgia but for the social aspects of that. We weren't thinking about any of that in 1965, it was just the way it worked. Worked pretty darn good too.
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