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Smitty's Better
Burger |
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By the way, is Smitty’s Better Burger still in business?
- Chandler Nelms (Hampton HS - '63
- of MD) - 10/05/05
Why, yes, Chandler, I do believe it is! Thanks!
In response to Chandler Nelms'
(Hampton HS - '63 - of MD) question
in the October 6th
newsletter about "Smitty's Better Burger" - It is still up and running.
I was there about a month ago after leaving Buckroe
Beach, but I must say, a little disappointed
in the food - NOT AS GOOD AS IT USE TO BE !!
- Donna Chadwell Nunemaker ('64) of VA and FL - 10/06/05
Thanks, Donna!
Now ..... about Smitty's:
http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/VA-Pilot/issues/1994/vp941113/11110130.htm
About our very own Brian Beachum ('72) of VA
http://www.beachumstudios.com/click/photo19.html
It is still in operation. I will capture an image soon.
- Dave Spriggs ('64) of VA -
10/06/05
Thanks, Dave!
Smitty's is still in business on North King Street .... since '56! I'll get some pics with the Vette there soon!
- Tom Norris (Hampton HS - '73) of
VA - 10/06/05
Thanks, Tom!
Oh, yes, Chandler Nelms (Hampton
HS - '63 - of MD), Smitty's Better Burger is still on King Street. It is a
MUST visit for me when I'm in Hampton. The women don't wear roller skates, but
the food is still good!
- Gloria Woolard Price (Hampton HS
- '65) of FL - 10/06/05
Thanks, Gloria!
Yes, Smitty's is still open.
Before I changed my diet in April, I was eating there often. Now I take 2 slices
of my whole wheat bread there and they put their marvelous chicken salad on it.
And I pay for it!
But I can't go too often. Mrs. Smith died about 2 years ago. The Smith's son Ron
is an attorney in Hampton
but he also owns 2 restaurants called County Grill and Smokehouse. He has
smoked meats, 6 home made
BBQ sauces (ranging from a wonderful vinegary NC sauce to a tomato-based KC
version with TN, Lexington, KY
and a couple of others in between) in a beer carton caddy on the table with
southern style 'fixins'.
One is in York County and the other is located at the old Eli's on Mercury in
Hampton.
- Kathy Pilgrim Clark ('63) of VA
- 10/06/05
Thanks, Kathy!
Smitty's Better Burger was located
between Langley Circle (when it existed) and the Main Gate
of Langley Air Force Base. It was on the left side of the road going towards the
Base. I cannot recall the
name of the road leading to the base now, after all, it has been quite a few
years. This topic came up a few
months ago, and I seem to recall seeing photos submitted by one of your faithful
subscribers. In fact, I tried
to locate that page last week, when I wrote to Fred Hayman ('57) of VA reminding
him of the "crush" he
had on one of the waitresses at Smitty's Better Burger. Believe it or not, Fred
did not recall the crush, so
why should I recall this romantic fantasy, except that back then Fred did all
the driving in his father's gray
Plymouth. It was one of our regular stops after Civil Air Patrol meetings that
were held at Fort Monroe and
later in their own building across the road from the Catholic Retreat near
Buckroe Beach. I thought a photo
of the drive-in would jar his memory, but I could not locate it...and thought I
might be having a "Mature Moment"
when the page was not in Our Old Stomping Grounds.
- Joe Madagan
('57) of FL - 10/06/05
Thanks, Joe!
Want a better burger? At Smitty's on
North King Street, they've been turning them out for 50 years.
The late Ethel D. Smith, who started the business with her husband, Paul,
described the old-fashioned drive-in as "a kitchen and a curb." There is no
dining area, just a few picnic tables. Customers are served in their cars,
complete with a tray attached to their window, just as it was done in 1956.
Paul Smith, 76, now retired, said the secret ingredient to their longevity is no
secret - just fresh meat and hot buns.
"Not many burger places warm their buns," he said.
Not many burger places have customers who've been loyal for
decades, either.
Rosa Little has been coming to Smitty's Better Burger for more than 30 years.
She and the owners talk like old friends.
"The hamburgers are so good," she said. "I also love the fried chicken; it takes
a while, but it is good.
"I like the atmosphere, too," she said, looking around the parking lot.
The fried chicken is made fresh, so it takes about 20 minutes to prepare, Smith
said.
Jimmy Ingram of Hampton has been eating at Smitty's for "20 years or maybe 30
years."
"It is good food at a good price," he said.
Royce Newton, known as "Sarge," is probably the most loyal of them all. He has
come to Smitty's almost since it opened, when he was an Air Force sergeant at
Langley Field.
He parks in the same spot and tells the servers to just surprise him with his
meal, said Susan Roach, Paul's daughter and one of the current managers.
"He has never complained," she said.
Langley Air Force Base has helped keep the business going, especially at
lunchtime during the work week. The base has produced some very loyal customers
- so loyal, they have gone to great lengths to get burgers.
About 10 years ago, repairs were being performed on the King Street bridge,
leading to a gate at Langley. This made for a difficult direct drive to
Smitty's, Roach said.
"We had someone call and ask if we could bring some burgers to them by boat to
the base. We looked into it," Roach said, but boat access to the base was too
limited.
"Soon after that, someone called in an order for about 20 people," she said.
One former service member called from Pennsylvania, asking for Twirly Dogs to be
sent on dry ice, but Roach said she didn't feel comfortable doing it because of
potential spoilage en route.
It isn't unusual for couples who dated at Smitty's as teens to return, showing
off children and grandchildren to the owners.
Daily Press
Article courtesy of Joe Drewry ('58) of VA - 03/24/06
WOWZERS! Thanks, Joe!
(This page was
created on 10/06/05 when the seemingly innocuous question
of Chandler Nelms (Hampton HS - '63 - of MD) produced a floodgate of responses.
Thanks, Chandler!)
John Belushi's
SNL "Cheeseburger" wav file courtesy of
http://www.geocities.com/snlstudioproductionsdownloads/,
at the suggestion of Dave Spriggs ('64) of VA - 06/01/04
HA! HA! Thanks, Dave!
Cheeseburger Image courtesy of http://www.sandiegorestaurants.com/cuisine.cfm?cuisineid=30 - 01/19/04