I was with my family at Alman's BBQ on Route 1 enjoying a plate of their minced & slaw when I tuned in to two old-timers sitting next to me chatting away. One asked the other how long it had been since they saw so&so. The man responded that it had been over breakfast at Ann's. Any Fredericksburg lifer knows exactly where he was referring to, Ann's Grill on Princess Anne Street, and it's been quite a while since he ran into so&so because Ann's has been closed for some time now.
I'm always focusing on the new restaurant opening or the new bakery coming to town that in this moment I began to run through all the restaurants and bakeries that have had to shut their doors for one reason or another. So many of them are so missed. We are so fortunate to still have Carl's, Goolrick's & Paul's and also so fortunate to have great come-back stories like Sammy T's & Limericks.
I can remember having a late after church breakfast (now called brunch) at Jett's, Dinty Moore's or Ann's followed by grocery shopping with my parent's at Earl's and then hitting Dick's Drive-In for dinner. (This may be a blurry memory because I'm pretty sure we didn't eat out twice in one day...none the less, it's my memory).
It's a well known fact that owning and operating a restaurant is one of the most difficult business ventures, so thank you to those that do so, you really are making memories for your patrons. I have no doubt my kids will remember breakfasts at Mason-Dixon, followed by lunch at Pueblo and dinner at Miso (this has totally happened, not blurry, and is a very clear memory of eating out three times in a day, potentially followed by Carl's for dessert).
I'm always focusing on the new restaurant opening or the new bakery coming to town that in this moment I began to run through all the restaurants and bakeries that have had to shut their doors for one reason or another. So many of them are so missed. We are so fortunate to still have Carl's, Goolrick's & Paul's and also so fortunate to have great come-back stories like Sammy T's & Limericks.
I can remember having a late after church breakfast (now called brunch) at Jett's, Dinty Moore's or Ann's followed by grocery shopping with my parent's at Earl's and then hitting Dick's Drive-In for dinner. (This may be a blurry memory because I'm pretty sure we didn't eat out twice in one day...none the less, it's my memory).
It's a well known fact that owning and operating a restaurant is one of the most difficult business ventures, so thank you to those that do so, you really are making memories for your patrons. I have no doubt my kids will remember breakfasts at Mason-Dixon, followed by lunch at Pueblo and dinner at Miso (this has totally happened, not blurry, and is a very clear memory of eating out three times in a day, potentially followed by Carl's for dessert).
Hello! My husband and I own Mason-Dixon Cafe and I grew up blocks from our restaurant. I too remember eating with my Mom at Dinty Moore's and Anne's Grill- Arbuckles was another great one! I never really thought about the fact that we will be a part of so many people's fond memories. That makes me really happy. Thank you for writing this ☺-Kelly Hunt
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