Costy’s and spaghetti: The Route 30 restaurant memories continue after a confession
Today, we’re going to revisit the ever-popular topic of restaurants that used to be along Route 30, which we last talked about in January.
Before we do, though, I’ve got a confession.
My confession is, I’m falling behind. Only in York County has proven incredibly popular recently, thanks in large part to some regular appearances in the print edition of the York Daily Record and some “hot topics” (like, I don’t know… potpie?)
In fact, it’s done so well that two good and crazy things happened. First, we won an award – second place in Pennsylvania for “best blogging,” courtesy of the Associated Press Managing Editors. I attribute that entirely to you guys, and I appreciate your contributions more than I can say.
The second crazy thing, though, is I appreciate the Ask Joan questions, comments, emails and letters you send me so much that I want to make sure I give them all their fair turn as blog posts too. And that leads me back to my confession of behind-ness. As of this writing, I have 275 items, from Jan. 1 to present, sitting in an email folder called “Blog to do.” And that doesn’t include the 20-plus handwritten letters I’ve received in the last month or so, nor the phone calls I’ve taken notes from. (As a general rule, I like to have no more than about 50 things sitting around; that gives me a nice cushion of ideas but gets things shared in a timely way.)
So, why do I bring this up today? Well, I’m committed to clearing out the ol’ inbox. To giving YOUR memories, Yorkisms and questions the attention they deserve. To preserving my sanity. So, if you’ve submitted something and haven’t seen it yet, please bear with me. I’m going to use the rest of July and much of August to share a ton of great thoughts, and I can’t wait for you to come along for the ride.
Now, on to Route 30 restaurants! Terrence Downs wrote in response to an earlier comment from Bill Schmeer about an Italian restaurant just off Route 30 and the Susquehanna Trail in Manchester Township, where Wendy’s now sits.
Terrence writes, “It was named Costy’s and sold spaghetti by the bucket. Good food as I remember.” Terry also remembered the former Gino’s on the other side of the intersection, near where Taco Bell is now. “It was there when J.M. Fields store was there before there was even a North Mall, and Loucks Road was a 2-lane road,” he writes. “Oh for the taste of a Gino Giant and their Kentucky Fried Chicken!”
Harold Gentzler called me up about this, too, and said what is now Wendy’s used to be Costy’s. He started work at the McDonald’s on the corner of the Trail and 30 at age 15, and at the time, the next-door shop was Costy’s.
Commenter “T.S.” also remembered buckets of pasta, but at what he recalls as a different location. He writes, “I think there was a place called the Spaghetti Factory or something like that where they built the Lone Star on Route 30. I just remember some fast-food kind of place that served spaghetti in plastic tubs for carryout.”
Greg Halpin knew more about that location. He writes, “The Spaghetti Shop was in the building now occupied by KFC/LJS. They opened up after the Roy Rogers closed.
The building now occupied by Haller Enterprises was originally built as a restaurant by Jim & Nenas. They ran it for a while, and it went through three or four different incarnations before becoming Haller Ent. Mr. T’s Roadhouse was in there, I believe Riptides was one occupant, and I know I’m missing one or two other names.”
Among other businesses that have changed hands kind of a lot, there’s what’s currently the Lyndon Diner at Route 30 and Kenneth Road in West Manchester Township. I’d mentioned before that it used to be the Nautilus Diner and before that, the Starlite Diner, but Scott C. had an even farther-back thought; before it was any diner, he says, there was a Hardee’s there!
My friend Barry Ness, who I got to meet in person not that long ago, writes about some things more on the eastern side of Route 30. “On the ‘old’ Whiteford Road… when it was Route 30, was the Fireside Restaurant which is now Fox Pool (Action Motorcycle next door). There were a couple other bar/resturants along ‘old’ 2-3 lane Rt.30 around the 1968-75 time period.”
And one we haven’t talked about at all yet is Sambo’s. This came up in a note from Brad Uffelman of Spring Grove, who recalls it was a 24-hour restaurant at Route 30 and Pennsylvania Avenue, generally where Friendly’s is now. Brad writes, “Thinking late 70’s, early 80’s. It was the first 24 hour restaurant I remember. They had a great business until people took offense to the name. It could have been the birth of being ‘Politically Correct’.” He shared this link to photos from boingboing.
Thank you ALL for those great Route 30 memories! I appreciate them a ton. My next step will be to update our stores and restaurants of the past directory – along with its accompanying map!
