You can't help but smile when you enter The Etna Diner and you feel like you've just visited with family and shared a favorite meal when you leave. Why you may ask?
While the food is delicious; it's the people you find inside the recently opened restaurant who offer unconditional acceptance that make the visit worth while. Rodney and Carol Engen Edwards are the heartbeat of The Etna Diner.
The Etna Diner opened at 703 North Madison Street, Whiteville, North Carolina in September 2020, but their story does not begin there! Carol is a third generation restaurateur. Her grandparents Penn and Lizzie Arp Summersett along with their daughters Leola and Grace opened a restaurant in Chadbourn in the 1930's. And so it all began.
Leola would marry Gene Engen and they proceeded to construct the Texaco Grill. The former Texaco Grill building was built where we now see The Donut Shop and Restaurant.
Gene and Leola left the Texaco Grill to open Penn's Grill in Downtown Whiteville. Penn's Grill originally opened in a green building at the front of Lewis Smith Parking Center in the area of the old Sherwin Williams building. The restaurant had five barstools and two tables. Carol worked in the restaurant along with the rest of her family and was young enough to require steps to reach inside the drink box to serve customers. Carol's dad and her Uncle Johnny ran the curb. Eventually Johnny left to work with Clifton Electrical. Carol's dad was curious about how many steps he took in a day and bought a pedometer; he never shared what the pedometer indicated at the end of the day, but he threw it in the trash. Carol laughingly shared the story of opening an account at Waccamaw Bank as a child, which at the time was located directly across the street from the Grill. One afternoon Carol decided it was important to see the $35 in her bank account so she marched across the street and asked Ruth Cowan to show her the money. After a phone call to Carol's dad, she pulled $35 from the teller draw and showed Carol her money was definitely there and safe.
In the late 1960's Penn's Grill would move to 128 Commerce Street in Whiteville, basically from the front of the parking lot to the back. Mr. Engen would eventually build a room onto the Grill for a fabric store for Magdalene. She operated the fabric store until her health made her retire. Penn's Grill continued to operate until the mid 1980's and was sold to Don Inman and Roscoe and Mary Edwards. Penn's Grill is still in operation today and is owned by Helen Holden.
Carol opened 701 Drive-In on 701 By-Pass in 1986. Carol's mom and dad helped at the Drive-In until their health became an issue. Mr. Engen passed away in June 2004 and Mrs. Engen continued to work until approximately a year before her death in 2013. Both continue to be missed and remembered with stories of kindness and love by customers and family alike.
Rodney was working with wrecked automobiles and with Andy Martin at NAPA Service Parts in 1993 when he learned from his then girlfriend Carol that her cook had walked out the restaurant on a busy Saturday. Rodney never hesitated and came to 701 Drive-In to man the grill. He never left and they eventually married.
Carol had continued to serve breakfast sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs, steak sandwiches and the traditional fare she grew up serving. Rodney decided if they were serving breakfast sandwiches they should offer grits. It was a huge success and approximately a year later he would add the daily lunch special and start making chicken salad. The chicken salad is a customer favorite, it's made daily and they sell many pounds each day.
Rodney and Carol raised their children in 701 Drive-In. Their daughter Jessica and son Brandon worked behind the counter when they were not in school. 701 Drive-In was a busy restaurant and Rodney and Carol only thought of selling it once about fifteen years ago. The buyer was in the loan process when Rodney and Carol looked at each other and asked, what are we going to do without the Drive-In? They called the buyer with the news they had changed their minds.
Fate would come in the form of NCDOT in 2018 with plans to improve 701 By-Pass. Those plans would force the closure of 701 Drive-In. Their last day was October 31, 2019. They welcomed familiar faces until 1:00 p.m. and then emptied the building.
But plans had already started taking shape for The Etna Diner. The name was discussed at length. Locals referred to 701 Drive-In as "The Grill", "Carol's", and "Rodney's", with The Grill being most common. In the end they decided to pay homage to the Etna Gas Station so many of us grew up with and it was a wonderful choice.
The Etna Diner has a nostalgic decor. As soon as you walk through the doors you see the love of the past through signage and tribute is paid to our local police and fire department with the custom designed tables, a beautiful wood top with red or blue stripes in them.
Rodney and Carol are grateful. They believe doors close so others can open and they're where they want to be. Carol said it's about the people who come to the drive-in window and those who grace the dining room. They are also appreciative of their work family, Melissa has been with them for fourteen years and Jordan for five years. They work well together and make each customer feel welcome.
Rodney and Carol also realize the importance of giving back. Each day the Diner is open, they continue the tradition started at 701 Drive-In and provide food for two families in our community.
If you haven't tried The Etna Diner, you should. Just know that in addition to all the traditional favorites, they've added ice cream to the menu and don't bring your debit or credit card because there's no machine to process it. They will gladly take your cash and provide you with delicious food and a warm smile. You will most likely find a new favorite and possibly make friends to last a lifetime.
**Note: The dining room is currently closed due to COVID-19 restrictions. However, the drive-thru is open and there is outdoor seating.
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