It was early 2020, weeks before anyone had considered a coronavirus the enemy that would shutter Upper Ohio Valley residents into their homes, close classrooms to kids, and dissolve the dining experience entirely.
The only option restaurant owners and their staff members had for several months was to offer take-out services, and then 50 percent of their dining room seats could be filled as long as social distancing was possible.
“That was a pretty dark time for everyone in the foodservice industry,” recalled Erik Marple, a co-owner of Eden Family Restaurant on Wheeling Island. “We were pretty lucky, though, because there are four of us. It has to be so much worse for the mom-and-pop places, and I think that played into the reasons why we lost so many pizza places in the valley.”
Marple and his partners took over the property at 135 Virginia St. in January 2020, a location once home to Mac’s Holiday Bar and Ozzie’s Restaurant. Marple and his group wished to create an eatery that was safe, family-friendly, and affordable for all residents of Wheeling Island. And, following a successful grand opening, business was brisk until, of course, Covid-19 created a new reality.
“I would love to be in the future we envisioned when the four of us decided to partner and open Eden Family Restaurant, but the pandemic really derailed so much of our plans,” Marple recounted. “If the pandemic hadn’t happened, I bet we would be working on a third location by now. That was our goal, but hell, we’re not even looking at properties yet for a second location.
“We would love to do more catering and more special events, and we’ve talked about a food truck for the future so we can have a presence at the events that are coming back now,” he explained. “The pandemic changed a lot within the foodservice industry, so right now we’re concentrating on the Wheeling Island restaurant so we can make it the best we can.”
Little By Little
Once the vaccines created by Pfizer and Moderna and the Food and Drug Administration issued emergency-use authorization orders, the federal government initiated distribution to all 50 states, and the infection numbers began to decline. W.Va. Gov. Jim Justice lifted mandates, too, allowing businesses to welcome 100 percent of their patrons and for fairs and festivals to take place as scheduled.
It appeared the end was near, and at Eden Family Restaurant, business was getting back to normal.
“Honestly, these days breaking even while making sure 100 people per day on the Island are fed, and about a dozen people employed is a win in our book,” Marple explained. “Those kinds of days are considered a success, and that’s why we keep doing what we’ve been doing. Our sales have been improving, and the customers seem to be drifting more toward breakfast, and that’s because we offer breakfast all day long. If that’s what people enjoy, we’ll keep cracking eggs all day long.
“It’s a comfort food, but a lot of people still love the sandwiches, the burgers, and the entrees,” he said. “We would love to see more of a lunch crowd, but it seems people have less time now for lunch than what they did just a couple of years ago. We can get you in and out in 45 minutes because we are making everything to order, but that seems to be too long for a lot of folks.”
The ripple effects of the pandemic, though, continue to surface, and that is why Marple firmly believes it is more important now for local residents to patronize locally owned businesses.
“Now, with the cost of inflation that we have seen this year, it’s even more important for the area’s residents to keep their money close to the community instead of sending it out of the area when eating at a chain,” Marple said. “Sure, some of those franchises are owned by some local folks, and they employ some local people, too, but ultimately the profits are taken outside this area and spent elsewhere. What we try to do at Eden is keep all of the money right here at home.
“We have had a consistent staff since we opened just before the pandemic began, and most of our servers and cooks are people who have been here since the beginning,” he reported. “If you see us hiring at Eden, it’s so we can improve. It’s true that growing in this climate is very difficult, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible, so we’re always looking for opportunities. Plus, if someone comes to us and tells us they want to work, we try our best to find a spot for them on the team.”
Abundant Beauty
Safe. Family friendly. Affordable.
It had to be an establishment mothers and fathers would feel secure about when taking their children out to eat, and while there, those kids had to be able to expend that precious childhood energy without anyone complaining. Most importantly, Marple insisted, Eden had to be a restaurant that makes economic sense to potential customers.
“Our intention from the beginning was to bring a full-service, family restaurant to Wheeling Island, and now that the pandemic numbers are much lower than they were at this time last year, that’s exactly what we have been able to offer for several months now,” Marple said. “It is our belief that those residents can’t have enough options, and Abbey’s is great, and so is Golden Chopsticks, but what Eden offers is a little different.
“There are also the fast-food places on the Island, so if that’s what people want to feed their families, that’s their decision. What we try to concentrate on is the quality and making sure the prices are right for the folks who live on the north and south ends,” he said. “Families can walk through your door all day long, but if they can’t afford what’s on your menu, the place becomes useless to them.”
