It was a worker owned collective from 2003 to 2022. After ceasing operations in September 2022, previous owners Ron and Melaine Copeland reopened the diner as "The Little Grill" on March 21, 2023.[1]
History
The Little Grill has been a restaurant in Harrisonburg, Virginia, since the 1940s; before that it was an antique store in the 1930s and a communal bathhouse for a nearby swimming pool in the 1920s.[2] In the early 1980s, Christopher Boyer, working for then owner and "master chef" Maria Prytula—a Ukrainian-born artist and poet (d. 2012)[3]—started renting the place out on weekend nights to present rock shows and theater. The restaurant's "hippified" atmosphere began during this period. Chris bought the restaurant in 1985 with blues musician and Little Grill cook, Bob Driver—at which point the diner became a full-service restaurant serving three meals a day, with live entertainment on the weekends. John Eckman bought out Boyer's share of the business in 1986, and he and Driver sold the restaurant to Tom Kildea in 1990. Kildea sold the restaurant to his former employee Ron Copeland in 1992.[4]
Salad being served at the Free Food For All Soup Kitchen in 2008
Worker-owned cooperative
From 2003 to 2022, the restaurant was a worker owned collective.[5] The collective was known for its quirky, eclectic, down-home atmosphere, with boxes of old Trivial Pursuit cards on the tables.[6] As a quaint and cozy music venue, the Grill has served as a launch for musical acts such as The Hackensaw Boys and Old Crow Medicine Show. Little Grill Collective was setup as a worker-owned, democratically managed cooperative, where members have joined together to produce goods and/or services for sale.[7]
A customer at the Little Grill counter
The owner Ron Copeland decided to attend graduate school, he knew he didn't want to see The Little Grill close as a result. Friends encouraged him to investigate worker-owned cooperatives such as Cheese Board Collective in Berkeley, California. Discovering mentorship and guidance there, Copeland and others worked together to launch The Little Grill Collective in 2003.[8] Not everyone who worked at the collective became an owner, but 9-12 of the employees usually signed on for the privilege at any one time. The collective had survived almost two decades when it ceased operations in September 2022, with just five worker-owners lasting until then.[8]
On September 13, 2022, the worker-owners announced they could no longer continue operating in their current form and announced a temporary closure.[9]
Previous owners return
Ron and Melaine Copeland, who owned The Little Grill from 1992 to 2003 — before helping its employees convert it to a worker-owned collective[10] — have signed a lease on the building and intend to restart operations in 2023. Ron discovered The Little Grill, a "staple restaurant with an eighty-year pedigree", as a James Madison University student. He started working there in the mid-1980s, hiring as a dishwasher the woman who would later become his wife and mother of his children.[11]
He and Melaine married in 1994 while running the diner together.[8] The Copelands wanted to ensure that one of Harrisonburg’s most-loved spots survived.[10]
The Copelands have now purchased the business back from the collective, but are dropping the worker-owned aspect of the business.[12] The Copelands reopened the diner as "The Little Grill" in March 2023.[1]
To finance start-up, the returning owners are selling “personal grill accounts” for $1,000 each which can be used to purchase meals and leave tips once the diner reopens.[13]
On February 18, 2023, as part of massive reopening efforts, James Madison University students as part of GIVE (Growth International Volunteer Excursions) Andy Luong, head volunteer coordinator at GIVE, and five other volunteers from James Madison University helped take down the Little Grill sign for refurbishing, power wash exterior walls, and prep the interior for painting.[2]
Both owners are alumni of nearby James Madison University, Ron in 1990 and Melanie in 1992 and both view The Little Grill as an important second home to the JMU community.[2]
They have hired William “Billy” Bleecker, co-chef at Clementine Cafe in downtown Harrisonburg, as general manager.[8]
Menu
Since October 1992, the Little Grill menu aimed at appealing to healthy-minded eaters, vegetarians, and hippies. Tofu is included in several of their breakfast specials, including tofu rancheros, tofu scrambler, tofu burrito, and tofu grinder.[14] Blue Monkey pancakes (bananas and blueberries in buttermilk batter) have inspired a T-shirt, featuring a blue monkey eating pancakes, for sale in the restaurant . ."[15]
Special nights
Prior to a summer 2015 menu transition, special menu nights at Little Grill happened on set days of the week. Tuesday was Mexi Night, Wednesday was Indian Night or Wildcard Special depending on the chef, Thursday was Breakfast Night, and Friday was Down Home Night/Southern Cookin'.
The Little Grill takes part in the semiannual Taste of Downtown, a week-long event that features lunch and dinner specials at most downtown Harrisonburg restaurants who put together discounted menu offerings and combos as a promotional activity initiated by Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance, a nonprofit revitalization group, in 2008.[16]
Relaunch 2023
In their 2023 return to ownership of the restaurant, the Copelands are committed to preserving what's best from the gustatory traditions, while introducing some surprises to the menu.[10]
Entertainment
Owner Chris Howdyshell serving as master of ceremonies for open mic, in 2008
Little Grill offered entertainment from local writing, performing, musical, and comedic talents—through regular weekly open stage and special shows. Every Thursday night they would present an open mic for poets, storytellers, comics, and musicians, including students from James Madison University. Historically, the founders of both The Hackensaw Boys and Old Crow Medicine Show—Robert St. Ours, David Sickmen, Rob Bullington, Chris "Critter" Fuqua, Ketch Secor, etc.—met and performed at the Little Grill open mic.
Special shows include fundraisers for local organizations, dramatic works created by owner and open mic emcee Chris Howdyshell, and comedy. The first "Ha-Ha Fest" that occurred in February 2012 is a recent example of these.[17] "The Girl Who Died Most Mysteriously", a play with original songs written by Little Grill worker/owner Chris Howdyshell, was performed October 2011—with his musical group The Dish Dogs backing "a local cast of non-actors."[18]
Wednesday nights had previously been reserved for a game of bingo involving diners as players.
Venue
Trent Wagler (guitar) and Brian Dickel (stand-up bass) perform with The Steel Wheels February 6, 2009
Three St. Ours brothers, Chris "Critter" Fuqua, and Ketch Secor founded the Route 11 Boys—precursor group to both The Hackensaw Boys and Old Crow Medicine Show. [19]
Antonia Begonia performs with Jonathan Vassar on accordion as part of MACRoCk 2009 April 3, 2009
Recording
The Little Grill venue has been used to record music. Previous owner Tom Kildea recorded his album Love Like Wood there in 1999.
MACRoCk
Little Grill serves as a venue each year for The Mid-Atlantic College Radio Conference (MACRoCk), joining other downtown Harrisonburg venues Artful Dodger, Blue Nile, Clementine, Court Square Theater, and Downtown 34 Music (in 2011).[20]
Including workshops, panels, and a label exposition, this college radio festival is funded by grass-roots businesses.[21]
Musical acts that performed during the 2011 festival at Little Grill included: Low Branches, Bison, Wailin' Storms, Spirit Family Reunion, Auld Lang Syne, Luke Saunders, and Cat Magic Co.[22] The Daily News-Record[23] describes MACRoCk as an ...
... eclectic mix of bands brings thousands of independent music enthusiasts to downtown Harrisonburg every spring. Festivalgoers cram into local venues to hear groups from throughout the East Coast jamming out tunes ranging from folk to garage metal and everything in between.[24]
Adrienne Young and Andy Thacker play with her band Little Sadie as fundraiser for FoodRoutes; June 27, 2008A crowd watches Ketch Secor and Chris 'Critter' Fuqua benefit for Our Community Place January 14, 2012
Awards, honors, and distinctions
Little Grill was voted Best Breakfast and Best Vegetarian in the 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016 Daily News-Record Best of the Valley survey.[25][26]
Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc., often known simply as Chipotle, is an international chain of fast casual restaurants specializing in bowls, tacos, and Mission burritos made to order in front of the customer. As of March 2023, Chipotle has 3,200 restaurants. Its name derives from chipotle, the Nahuatl name for a smoked and dried jalapeño chili pepper.
A diner is a type of restaurant found across the United States and Canada, as well as parts of Western Europe. Diners offer a wide range of foods, mostly American cuisine, a casual atmosphere, and, characteristically, a combination of booths served by a waitstaff and a long sit-down counter with direct service, in the smallest simply by a cook. Many diners have extended hours, and some along highways and areas with significant shift work stay open for 24 hours.
The Rainbow Room is a private event space on the 65th floor of 30 Rockefeller Plaza at Rockefeller Center in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Run by Tishman Speyer, it is among the highest venues in New York City.
Neonopolis, a 250,000 sq ft (23,000 m2) shopping mall, is a $100 million entertainment complex in Las Vegas, Nevada located on top of a $15 million city parking garage. It is located on Fremont Street, at the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard. In keeping with the complex's name, it contains three miles of neon lights.
Frankie & Benny's is a chain of Italian-American-themed restaurants in the United Kingdom run by The Big Table. As of November 2022, it had 90 outlets nationwide.
The Yankee Doodle Coffee Shop, also known as The Doodle, was a diner in New Haven, Connecticut that catered to the Yale University community for 58 years before closing on January 28, 2008. The narrow restaurant, with only 12 stools arranged opposite a counter that ran the length of shop, was a favorite among students, faculty, and employees of the university. Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Henry Winkler are said to have been regulars during their times at Yale. The Doodle was known for its cheap but excellent food, especially the fried donut—an old fashioned donut cut down the middle, buttered, fried on the grill, and then re-buttered before serving. Other unique items popular with students included; the Bacon Egg and Cheese "No Break," The Doodle Dandy, and a variety of grilled muffins.
Little Chef was a chain of restaurants in the United Kingdom, founded in 1958 by entrepreneur Sam Alper, who was inspired by American diners. The chain was famous for the "Olympic Breakfast" – its version of a full English – as well as its "Early Starter" and "Jubilee Pancakes". The restaurants were mostly located on the roadside near A roads, often paired with a Travelodge motel, a Burger King and a petrol station. The chain was also located along motorways in Moto Services, for a time.
Du-par's is a diner-style restaurant in Los Angeles, California, that was once a modest-sized regional chain. The first location was founded in 1938 at the Los Angeles Farmers Market by James Dunn and Edward Parsons, who combined their surnames to create the restaurant's name. There is also an associated franchised restaurant in a Las Vegas casino.
Gotham Bar and Grill is a New American restaurant located at 12 East 12th Street, in Greenwich Village in Manhattan, in New York City. It opened in 1984. It closed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and re-opened in November 2021.
The Dime Store was a short-lived restaurant in Portland, Oregon, in the United States. It was established by Dayna McErlean, with additional conceptual development from Jeremy Larter. The restaurant opened in 2014, replacing Leo's Non-Smoking Coffee Shop, a diner which had operated for thirty years. The Dime Store's menu included diner classics such as burgers and milkshakes, along with all-day breakfast and weekend brunch specials. Despite receiving a positive critical reception, the restaurant closed in November 2015.
Andy's Diner was a roadside diner, constructed from several decommissioned railcars, in Seattle, Washington, established in 1949 and closed in 2008. It was constructed on the former location of a more traditional diner that had been built in 1930.
Our Community Place is a community center created by a former Salvation Army building located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, United States. The building was converted to a community center after Ron Copeland acquired ownership in 1999. After a lengthy renovation period, the center opened to the community in August 2008.
Byways Cafe was a diner in the Pearl District of Portland, Oregon, United States. Owners, Collin McFadden and Megan Brinkley, opened the restaurant in 1999, serving American breakfast and brunch comfort foods such as corned beef hash, omelets, and pancakes. Guy Fieri visited the diner for a 2007 episode of the Food Network show, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Byways received generally positive receptions and was voted the city's "best brunch spot" by readers of The Oregonian in 2016. It closed in late 2019, after the owners were unable to reach a lease agreement with the landlord.
Fuller's Coffee Shop is a diner serving standard American cuisine in Portland, Oregon's Pearl District, in the United States. Established in 1947, the restaurant has operated from its location in downtown Portland since 1960. It serves breakfast all day, and the menu features a cheeseburger with a recipe that has not changed since the diner's establishment. Described as a greasy spoon, Fuller's has received a generally positive reception, and appeared in an episode of the television series Grimm in 2017. Founded by Jack Fuller, the diner was later owned by his son John then by Urban Restaurant Group.
Cricket Cafe is a restaurant in Portland, Oregon. The cafe's slogan is "champions of breakfast", offering the meal throughout the day with additional lunch options. It has received a generally positive reception, especially for its Bloody Marys, vegetarian options, and biscuits and gravy. Previously owned by Dan Bartkowski, the cafe closed unexpectedly in June 2017. Gordon Feighner and Katie Prevost reopened Cricket Cafe months later.
Tin Shed Garden Cafe, often abbreviated as Tin Shed, is a restaurant in Portland, Oregon's King neighborhood. Co-owned by Christie Griffin and Janette Kaden, the dog-friendly cafe opened in 2002 and serves American cuisine.
Jam on Hawthorne is a restaurant in Portland, Oregon.
Lucier was a restaurant in Portland, Oregon, that specialized in European cuisine. The business, which was described as "the most opulent restaurant space in Portland history", only operated for seven months in 2008. News outlets described the failed venture as "the most colossal faceplant in Portland dining history" and the city's "greatest restaurant boondoggle". Lucier was the only restaurant in Oregon that the American Automobile Association awarded with four diamonds.
Dockside Saloon and Restaurant, or simply Dockside, is a diner and dive bar in Portland, Oregon, United States. Established in 1986, the nautical-themed, New American restaurant is known for being where incriminating evidence against Tonya Harding related to the assult of Nancy Kerrigan was dumped in 1994.
Tamarind Tree is a Vietnamese restaurant in Seattle, in the U.S. state of Washington.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
