Saying Goodbye to Rudnick’s By Danielle Nyland
Rudnick’s has been a local favorite since 1982.
I
ts great service, monster sandwiches at unbeatable prices and the biggest selection of appetizers I’ve ever seen have made it THE place to grab a bite to eat in Washington County since 1982. But not for much longer. Owners Sherry and Vince Rudnick have decided to retire this December and are shutting the doors after 36 years of service. Rudnick’s opened as a bar in 1982 and expanded into a restaurant in 1988. The right side was a beer distributor, as well as a feed store at one point. Above the bar, the second story served as living place for the family. When Vince’s father and grandmother passed away in 1997, Vince and Sherry took over ownership. Vince was working a full-time job in the coalmine, first at Marianna and then later at Emerald, so Sherry quit her job at JCPenney’s and took over running the day-to-day activities. The beer distributor closed due to a technicality of holding 2 liquor licenses. The restaurant started with a large fish sandwich, large 30
fries and the now-famous burger, and eventually expanded into the full menu that’s available now, with daily specials, and probably the best selection of appetizers around (we recommend the buffalo chips). “We’re always adding new things, trying out new ideas,” Sherry says. “If something doesn’t work after a few weeks, we move on to the next thing.” But its the one-pound burger that bring the crowds in. “Out here, you need a draw and we never advertised,” says Sherry. And with a burger that big – and that delicious – it’s all the advertising Rudnick’s ever needed. Word of mouth about those one-pound burgers has brought customers from all over the United States to try one, bringing them in from as far away as Alaska. The particulars of a burger that size brought about a new problem – finding the bun to hold it. A regular bun just wouldn’t do; too small, too flimsy, they just weren’t the right
Fran Orum, who has been with Rudnick’s for 15 years, serves us one of the famous one-pound burgers. GreeneScene Magazine •
HOLIDAY #1 - Mid November 2018
