WOOD RIVER — Charlie’s Drive-In was a busy place Monday.
For some it was a chance for an old home week. For others it was a chance to reminisce or shed some tears.
But for most it was a chance for one last order.
And they were ordering.
On July 30, owners Teresa Tweedy and Michelle Garin announced on Facebook that they would be retiring. Aug. 3 will be the last day.
That leaves only one traditional root beer stand — King Louie’s in Wood River — in the area.
“We’ve decided after 30 years of dedication and hard work we will be retiring from the root beer stand,” Tweedy and Garin announced. “We will be back tomorrow Saturday, July 31st through Tuesday August 3rd off Sunday to sell remaining food. Thank you to all our loyal customers, we love and appreciate you. Hope to see you one more time.”
Since then, the drive-in has worked nonstop.
On Monday workers were busy well before the normal 11 a.m. opening, and the parking lot was full as carhops took orders.
While they waited, some of the customers got out and talked to friends and there was an occasional hug or wiping of an eye.
“It’s been a sad three or four days,” said Tim Tweedy, Teresa’s brother.
“I’m getting phone calls, text messages,” he said. “I just tell them it’s time for her to retire. She’s earned it and is ready to pass it on.”
The drive-in has been busy since the announcements, with large crowds over the weekend.
“I placed my order yesterday,” he said.
By 11 a.m. Monday orders — some placed the day before — were backed up to 12:30 p.m. By shortly before noon the orders were backed up several hours.
“It’s really sad,” said Monica Payne, who was waiting for her order in a car with her cousin, Leslie Conner. “We hang out here a lot — our last girl’s lunch at Charlies.”
Payne said they placed their order at about 10:30 a.m.
“We got a huge order — cheeseburgers, fries, mushrooms, coneys, zucchini, root beer,” she said, adding it was a take-out order for her, her cousin and several others.
Charlies Drive-In was originally built in about 1950. It went through a series of owners and names until the late Charlie Tweedy purchased it in 1976. He operated the stand until 1992, when he sold it to his daughter, Teresa Tweedy, and Garin.
“Mom and dad always talked about it going from one thing to another,” Payne said, referring to the name changes. “But I’ve only known it as Charlie’s. I’m really going to miss them.”
Donna Gruver, another long-time customer, said she and her husband have been coming to Charlie’s since they were married 40 years ago, and he had been coming there before that.
In that time, she said, they had built up a lot of traditions.
“Halloween was their last day of the year,” she said. “Before we took the kids trick-or-treating. We came down for supper to eat at Charlie’s. That was our tradition.”
Like many others, the word she used to describe how she felt on Monday was “sad.”
“I was here Saturday and just cried,” she said. “I understand and wish Michelle and Teresa all the best. I hope somebody buys it and keeps the traditions going.”
On Monday afternoon, normally a break after the lunch rush, Tweedy and Garin were busy in the kitchen.
Tweedy said they have been working nonstop since the announcement. She also said there was no particular reason for retiring now, other than it was “just time.”
“You just get to meet so many people and their families, generations,” Tweedy said.
That includes the hundreds of workers. Garin said they would usually stay a few years, then come back with their families to eat.
Although nothing is official, they are in talks with a possible buyer for the drive-in.
But some were not taking any chances.
Fred Marks, a long-time family friend of the Tweedys, hsaid he had been both a customer and an employee over the years. He started working there in 1976.
“I was the first male carhop here,” he said, adding he took a lot of kidding. “I didn’t mind, but a lot of guys I went to school with wanted to get on, too. But they weren’t able to.
“I hate to see it close, but I’ve known the family for so long,” he said. “They’re family to me.”
He had also placed an order on Monday: a cod sandwich, mushrooms and two special burgers.
“I’m going to load up one more time,” he said.
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So long, Charlie’s: Popular drive-in closing as owners retire - The Edwardsville Intelligencer
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