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Events & News JUNE 14th 2008 
The Annual Summer Cruise will be held on June 14, 2008 at Rosebud Plaza. CHECK OUT THE PHOTOS FROM OUR 2007 CAR CRUISE Below is the article that was featured in the Clarksburg Exponent. Hot dogs, baseball, apple pie, and Chevrolet. Or Ford. Or maybe Buick. Whatever the make or model, area residents are in for some good old-fashioned fun on Saturday, June 16, as Dave's Famous T&L Hot Dogs brings the 7th Annual Summer Car Cruise to Rosebud Plaza. According to Mike Henderson, co-owner of the area’s ‘50s-themed hot dog restaurants with his father, Dave, car cruises have become a national phenomenon, partly because of the fun factor, but also because of the sense of nostalgia that people seem to long for nowadays. 
“The classic cars that are seen in these events represent a piece of the ‘good old days.’ The ‘50s theme seems to appeal to every one because it’s the only era that pretty much we all can relate to. I think that’s why it’s so popular in our restaurants. Everyone from young kids to senior citizens come in and love to hear Elvis or Chubby Checker on our jukebox,” said Henderson.
But fun and frolic isn't the only attraction of this cruise. Proceeds from the $10 registration fee go to the Clarksburg League for Service, which supports the Inasmuch Mother and Baby Clinic located at United Hospital Center. “This clinic provides free pre-natal care and other women’s health care to those who can't afford to pay for them. Imagine two people getting the wonderful news that they’re going to have a baby and then a second later, panicking because they don't have a way to pay for it because they don’t have insurance. That's where the clinic comes in,” explained Susie Pastorik, past president of the League. 
“Four years ago, the Henderson’s came to us when we were putting on our annual fund-raising dance and said they wanted to do something to help the people of the community. Since then, they've given us the proceeds of this cruise,’ she added. And Pastorik thinks the idea couldn't have been any better. “A car cruise is just so cool. I never saw one until I went to the T&L one and I haven't missed any since. That 50's themed is so popular, especially with us baby boomers. That's what we all did when we were teens. Cruised around and had fun with our friends,” she said. The success of the event she said definitely goes to the Henderson's. “It's a family affair. The Henderson's make the message clear that it's not just okay to bring your cars, it's okay to brings your kids, too” Pastorik said. Car enthusiast Mark Mills agreed. “The entire night is so much fun because the Henderson's know how to do it right. They provide entertainment and events beyond what most people do on car cruises. The do everything they can to put on a real show. But it is all wholesome, family entertainment,” said Mills, who emcees the evening. For avid classic car enthusiasts, it’s one of the coolest events going. For those who wouldn't know a Corvette form a Corsica, it still ranks up their on the fun meter because of the variety of activities that are scheduled. 
“We’re going to have a great 50's band called "Catch a Wave," which consists of area high school boys who all sport that old-time clean-cut look. The band is led by crowd favorite Ryan Cain, who does a right-on-target impersonation of Elvis, both in style and dress,” said Henderson. But there are also 50's-themed events such as limbo, bubblegum-blowing and hula-hoop contest. The cruise also coincides with the first evening that all the Miss West Virginia contestants are in town for next week’s pageant here. “The make the cruise their first stop each year,’ Henderson said. Door prizes and give-a-ways take place all evening long at the plaza, located just past United Hospital Center. "Larry Policano, the owner of the plaza, has been very supportive of the cruises, as have the other businesses located there," said Henderson. And the hundreds who attend the event have always been well behaved, according to Danny Thomas owner of two businesses-Rosebud Foodland and Tobacco Outlet. "The cruise brings in a lot of onlookers and in most crowds that size, you'd probably expect some rowdiness. But this is pretty much a family event and we've never had any problems out here," he said. The cruise begins with registration at 4 p.m. Commemorative dash plaques and T-shirts will be awarded for the first 100 cars that register. During the evening, people can sign up to win two tickets to the NASCAR Winston Cup “Old Dominion 500” at Martinsville Speedway on October 14. Proceeds of that drawing will benefit the Genesis Youth Crisis Center. Throughout the night, there will be door prizes awarded, such as coupons form local video stores, grocery stores and hair salons, as well as coupons for free hot dogs at Dave's Famous T&L Hot Dogs. The event will be held rain or shine. More News Clippings  Dave's shuffles locations Dave's Famous T&L Hot Dogs has closed its double drive-through at 1115 Fairmont Ave. and is opening a sit-down restaurant in Gabriel's Plaza, above the Bridgeport Holiday Inn, said owner Dave Henderson. The Fairmont Avenue double drive through closed Saturday, Henderson said “if I had made it a dine-in, I would have been all right, but the owner has the property for sales and I didn't want to put more money into it, not knowing what a possible new owner might do,” he said. “With just income from the drive-through, it was a losing cause.” The double-drive through opened in October 1996. Prior to Dave's Famous, the location housed Long John Silver's Drive through, Rally's and Snapps. Dave's equipment is being moved to Gabriel's Plaza, where Henderson plans to open a 1950s style diner July 1st. The new location will have seating for 50 patrons and will be similar to Dave's Rosebud Plaza restaurant, "with chrome trim black and white floors, juke boxes," he said. "It'll be really nice." In addition to the planned Gabriel's Plaza restaurant, Henderson operates restaurants at Middletown Mall, downtown Bridgeport, Meadowbrook Mall and downtown Clarksburg. Dave's Famous T&L Hot Dogs has opened a new location at Rose Bud Plaza. In keeping with the its'50s theme, neon lights are featured throughout the store, from the windows to the paddle fans, while the walls are covered with antique pictures, toys and memorabilia. The store also features a restored 1953 Seeburg Juke Box that plays oldies for only 5 cents each. The restaurant was designed in an effort to recreate the "happy and carefree lifestyle of days lone gone by," said Dave Henderson, owner and operator. According to Henderson, customers typically place an order for sandwiches and fresh cut fries, and while waiting, "cruise the store to look at the sights." "The response has been overwhelming," said Mike Henderson, son and co-owner of the local establishment. We adopted the nostalgic theme, hoping to recreate an atmosphere unique to the '50s." Dave Henderson's oldest son, Scott, considered the "chef of the family," arrives at work early each day to prepare the chili and pepperoni rolls for all five area stores. The Henderson family's other stores are located on Main Street in Bridgeport, Meadowbrook Mall, Middletown Mall and Pike Street in Shinnston. Lori Henderson, the newest addition to the company, is manager of the Rose Bud location, which is open until 10 p.m. seven days a week. Mall restaurant expands, adopts nostalgia theme. Dave's Famous T&L Hot Dogs at the Middletown Mall has turned into a "Happy Days" haven, featuring nostalgia of the 1950's and 1960's. "We broke out a wall towards Hills and added a room with the nostalgia theme." said Dave Henderson, who own and operates the business with his wife, Barbara, and their son, Mike. "The whole store now reflects the theme." The added room features a black-and-white tile floor. The centerpiece is a reproduction of a classic Wurlitzer Jukebox, first produced in 1947-48. This one offers a wide variety of hits from the 1950's and 1960's, but the tunes sound better than the originals because they're on compact discs. Some things are better left untouched. The jukebox at Dave's still offers two plays for a quarter. Also to be found in the store are life-size cutouts of Jimmy Dean and Marilyn Monroe, an original Sinclair gasoline pump from the 1950s and several soda pop machines that surely rate among vending machine classics. Henderson has taken the extra effort to localize the nostalgia theme. Among the decorations: Home Dairy milk bottles and copies of the East Fairmont High School Yellow Jacket. Neon lights are everywhere, from the windows to the paddle fans. Customers typically place an order for hot dogs and fresh cut fries and, while waiting, cruise the new room to see the sights. Henderson isn't finished yet. "I'm looking for interesting local memorabilia." He said. "I want to use items people would like to put on display." Henderson is willing to give lenders credit in the form of a sign in the return for exhibiting prize memorabilia. About to go up on the wall: Several choice issues of The Echo, the house newsletter of the defunct Owens-Illinois glass plant. Dave's Famous T&L Hot Dogs is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday, Noon-5 p.m. The mall store is the Henderson's' third. Dave opened a T&L Hot Dogs on Main Street in Bridgeport in 1984 and a restaurant at Meadowbrook Mall in 1989. Also, son Scott and his wife Joyce own and operate a T&L in Shinnston, which they opened in the mid-1980's. |
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