Published: July 01, 2009 03:54 pm      

Whitley's Luncheonette has reunion

Thursday, July 2, 2009 — In 1948 Flave Whitley opened the first Donut Dinette in downtown Albemarle on North Second Street. When John Haynsworth built the Haynsworth Building, he wanted Flave to continue to have a restaurant in his building, so it was named Whitley’s Luncheonette. Donut Dinette was moved to North First Street and leased to a former employee.

Flave died on May 15, 2001, after having run the restaurant continuously in the same location for fifty-three years. His daughter, Ann, continued to run the restaurant until she closed it for the final time October 15, 2004. She tried to find a buyer to continue the business, but that was made impractical by modern building codes that made the price of rehabilitation greater than the expected return.

Over the years Whitley’s, or Flave’s as it was known to its regulars, became one of Albemarle’s most popular places to gather for good food and equally good conversation. Diners came in de facto shifts starting shortly after 5:00 a.m. and continuing until closing time on or about 2:00 p.m.

On Saturday, June 6, twenty-six of the “regulars” gathered for a reunion to celebrate the comradeship they experienced over the years they frequented the Dinette and Luncheonette. The idea for the reunion came about as a result of conversations among the former owner, Ann Byrd, and regulars, Charlie Frye, Gary Morton and Melissa Speight. Charlie came up with the idea and the others helped him put it together. Fortunately, Bank of Stanly, the owner of the building, had kept the restaurant intact and had been using it for an employee break room.

On arriving for the reunion, guests were seated in their “usual” places. Conversation groups quickly developed just as they had when the restaurant was operating. However, instead of talking about politics, sports, local gossip and the like, conversation centered on memories of good food and good times at Flave’s. Faye Morton, who worked as a waitress for over thirty years, took the same seat she occupied after her retirement and proceeded to work the Observer crossword just as she had done for many years.

Food was prepared by Hugh Wainwright who now operates the Goody Shop on West Main Street. He was assisted by his wife, Debbie, and their daughter, Anna. Hugh worked as a supporting cook for Flave for several months in 1994, learning the business that made it possible for him to branch out on his own. For this event, Hugh had located and wore one of Flave’s signature Cheerwine hats. He and his family prepared and served the “regulars’ in a style reminiscent of the way Flave and his staff served for so many years.

From time to time someone would pause in their eating and speak to the group about some incident or special memory.

One person recalled the special way Flave had of preparing hash browns. He would boil the potatoes whole in their skins very early in the morning. Then, when hash browns were ordered, Flave would take a boiled potato, peel the skin (the word “lovingly” was used), dice the potato while still holding it in his hand, put the pieces on the grill, add a few drops of margarine then fry the potatoes to a golden brown.

In deference to the calorie counters Flave would fry a sausage patty then press it between two pieces of napkin to remove as much of the grease as possible.

Someone pointed out that Flave was very loyal to his cookware, using the same pots and frying pans, some said, for the entire time he was in business.

Normally, Ed Underwood, current Albemarle City Councilman, was the first to arrive shortly after opening. Word was that the timing was so precise that at exactly the same time Ed sat down, his breakfast was served.

One local insurance agent recalled the time he ordered a sausage and egg sandwich and, on taking the first bite, discovered that the sausage was “bad.” Rather than complain he simply took the sausage out of the sandwich, placed it on the side of his plate, and continued to eat the sandwich. Flave spotted the maneuver and asked the diner if something were wrong. The diner replied, “Flave, to be honest I think something is wrong with that sausage.” Flave responded, “You know that is really strange. You are the fourth person today to mention that.”

One local attorney facetiously told of having learned how to make an atomic bomb during one of his conversations at Whitley’s. He said that he and banker Orin Rogers, now deceased, were the recipients of that enlightenment. He further stated that now that Orin Rogers was dead, he was probably the only person in Albemarle who knew how to make the bomb.

One particularly humorous story involved Flave’s waitress, Faye Morton. It has been told many times and always brought a chuckle. Faye was not feeling well and had been to see Dr. McKenzie, who gave her medicine. At lunch that day when Dr. McKenzie was there for his daily meal, Faye’s husband told him that if he kept giving her medicine, she wasn’t ever going to die. Interestingly, and thanks to her faith, hard work, keeping her home, flowers and garden, our dear Faye is alive and well at 89.

One morning Flave overslept (don’t know of that’s happening more than once) and someone called his home. His wife told the caller that Bear Knotts and Bob Moose were “working.” One was frying bacon and the other was pouring coffee. He hurriedly dressed and got to work pronto.

Flave’s long time cook, Jessie Lee Turner, died this year and people still talk about all of the delicious meals she prepared in her 30 or more years of working at Whitley’s. She was a lovely, kind and gentle person who will always be missed by the Whitley family and all who knew her.

The reunion was a beautiful day enjoyed by old friends.