GRASONVILLE, Md.- Piece by piece, Holly's is being taken apart. Sunday may have been the last day for the customers, the workers here are still putting in the time to close this 59 year old business for good.
Owner Kay Ewing got involved with the Route 50 restaurant 35 years ago when her husband inherited it. Monday morning didn't feel real to her.
"It feels like Christmas break when we're cleaning up. Christmas time we all come back in and straighten up but it won't sink in for me until November when things slow down at home," said Kay.
Holly's has been a family affair since 1955. Kay's grandson, Trevor, grew up working in the restaurant and says it had a tremendous impact on his life.
"I worked here for six years. It paid for my first car, it paid for my first two years of college. It paid for my engagement ring to my wife. It paid for a lot of things in my life, and it's cool to see the legacy of your great grandfather opening something, and having a vision for something," said Trevor.
When Holly's first opened in 1955, Dwight D. Eisenhower was the President of the United States. NASA didn't exist yet, and Hawaii still wasn't officially recognized as a state. Sunday, Holly's closed for the last time in it's 59 year history. The reason, an all too common one these days.
"The national chains, you just can't keep up with them anymore. All of that has just added up and it's time to move on," said Kay.
So now Kay will spend more time with her kids and grand kids, and Holly's Restaurant is set to possibly become a gas station in the next two years
On October 11th from 8am to 2pm, a yard sale will be held at the restaurant to get rid of equipment and Holly's memorabilia. The building itself is set to be replaced by a gas station within the next few years.
