April 6, 2016 at 1:16 p.m.
Dinky Diner is under new ownership
Dinky Diner is under new ownership
Earlier this year, Earl and Margo Morey put the word out that they were looking for a buyer for the Rhinelander diner and Rick Covin's wife, Terrie Bowman, got wind of the sale.
"It got to my wife's ear and my wife said to me 'Hey look, the Dinky Diner is for sale, I've always wanted to have not a full restaurant because that's 9-5 or 9-10, just a breakfast/lunch place and this is awesome,'" Covin said.
He noted he had been eyeing a new snowmobile but his wife diplomatically pointed out the difference in cost between the snowmobile and the restaurant and told him he needed to make a decision.
Years of marriage helped him read between the lines to what his wife meant.
"And I realized what she was really saying was 'if you buy that (darn) snowmobile and I don't get this diner you're dead,'" he interpreted.
Their family has roots at the restaurant. Both of Covin's daughters worked as waitstaff at the Dinky Diner and the cook/landscaper is the father of two of his grandchildren, so the family is pretty intertwined with the Dinky Diner.
Although Covin has no experience with a restaurant, Bowman helped run Holiday Acres for 14 years.
Bowman is pleased and excited to own the diner. Covin thinks it will be a cool new challenge, and he is not disillusioned as to how demanding the new venture will be.
The couple's first official day of ownership was March 28 and patrons who are used to the current menu have no need to fret as not much will change yet.
"Earl (Morey) came in and changed (the menu) when they took over a few months ago and upgraded it and put on different items," said Covin, adding that he doesn't foresee any need to make adjustments.
The staff will stay the same, except one of the cooks likes to landscape during the summer so a new cook will fill in.
"We hired a new cook that has over 10 years of experience and has patented a bunch of his own sauces - barbecue sauces and stuff - with a business he has in Colorado," Covin said. "He started a couple of days ago and has been training on what we do and it looks like he is going to do real good."
Covin would like to add some of the cook's sauces to the menu in the future, plus offer some sweet homemade goods near summertime.
Another employee has a girlfriend who bakes so they are hoping to start offering some homemade pies and desserts in June.
"I had one of her pies and it was to die for," Covin said.
He noted they are not trying to compete with other businesses that offer meals and tasty desserts, they just want a nice friendly restaurant on the west side of town.
"(We want it to be a) down-home, no-frills, friendly place to come and get a good meal and spend time with your friends and family and go home full," he said.
The only immediate change they made was to offer free Wi-Fi. The waitstaff may also be sporting new aprons.
The Dinky Diner is open seven days a week, Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
It is located at 1999 River Street in Rhinelander and may be reached at (715) 362-1981.
Kayla Breese may be reached at kayla@ rivernewsonline.com.
Comments:
You must login to comment.