TIME-TESTED
what it takes for a restaurant to last 50 years in the Upstate n story by JESSICA MULLEN | photos PROVIDED
What are the ingredients that make up a successful restaurant? A secret family recipe? A pinch of good marketing? A hot location? Low prices? Once a successful restaurant is crafted, will it age to perfection or grow stale? The Journal identified several Upstate restaurants that have been serving food for more than 50 years and asked their owners what it takes to make it in this line of work. The response? Relationships and dedicated service are the bread and butter every one of these restaurants has perfected.
Northgate Soda Shop OPENED: 1947 LOCATED: 918 North Main St., Greenville KNOWN FOR: Pimento Burger
R
en and Iris Bell just celebrated, on Oct. 1, their 10th anniversary as the owners of Northgate Soda Shop. Ren Bell credits the restaurant’s longevity to relationships. “You cannot run a place like this from afar,” he says. “You gotta entertain people. You gotta talk to them. You gotta learn their names and they feel like, ‘These guys know me,’ and they’ll come back in the door. It’s worked for us, anyway.” It’s worked for 72 years to be exact, making Northgate Soda Shop, which is located on North Main Street, one of the oldest continually serving restaurants in Greenville. “Every week I get new customers,” Ren Bell says. “It’s been good for us to be in this location, because it’s on the outskirts of town, without the hustle and bustle of downtown.” He counts customers from the North Main community, “within 5 or 6 miles” of the store, as his regulars. At the counter, each seat bears a small plaque designating a faithful customer, like a bar stool hall of fame. According to the restaurant’s website, Jim DeYoung, a former owner of more than 60 years, can be found at the shop enjoying his morning coffee with friends almost daily. Ren Bell tells the tale of how the breakfast club came to be. “We stopped serving breakfast about four years ago, but some of the locals asked me if they could come in and drink coffee,” Ren Bell says. “They come in here every day, except Sunday, at eight o’clock in the morning. They’ll bring donuts, but I provide the coffee.” Ren Bell says building relationships is key to Northgate’s success. “If you’re gonna be a mom and pop store, you gotta be here,” he says.
If you’re gonna be a mom and pop store, you gotta be here.” -Ren Bell, owner, Northgate Soda Shop
photo by WILL CROOKS
6 UBJ | November 8, 2019
Right: Owners, Ren and Iris Bell, photo PROVIDED