AURORA - For Marie Vernon, the dream of one day owning her own restaurant is one she has nurtured since she began working.
Jason Rearick / The Citizen
Jason Rearick / The Citizen Marie Vernon, owner of MVP, a diner in Scipio, cooks down-home favorite diner foods and weekend dinners.
Jason Rearick / The Citizen Marie Vernon, owner of MVP, a diner in Scipio, cooks down-home favorite diner foods and weekend dinners.
“It is the only thing I've ever wanted to do,” Vernon said. “It is something I've been working towards my whole life since I was 15 and started flipping burgers.”
Vernon made her dream a reality one year ago when she opened up MVP (Marie Vernon's Place) on 34B in Aurora.
“I've been working up to this my whole life,” Vernon explained.
And she really did work her way up. She began working in different restaurant's kitchens, did catering, prep work and even washed dishes.
“My last job was in administration doing all the paper work,” she said. “It was the last part I needed to know before I could start this.”
Vernon, who has lived in the area for the past 12 years, said she has had her eye on the restaurant located at 3234 State Route 34B for the past 10 years.
“I'd drive by and I knew that was the place I wanted,” Vernon said.
The location had been vacant for a while, and the previous owner was only open about a month before closing. It seems just as she was waiting on this location, it was waiting for her.
When she opened her doors, Vernon had one simple idea that she wanted to put into action -create a comfortable, homey atmosphere with good food at a good price.
“Basically I want people to feel like they are at home,” Vernon said. “They should feel like they are at home but they are being waited on.”
This philosophy extends to children as well.
Set to one side of the restaurant, Vernon and her children have set up “Kid's Corner,” complete with tables, menus, games, toys and a television set just for the young ones.
“My kids helped me design it,” Vernon said. “They even add some of their own toys to it. But that was something I knew that I wanted. The kids really like it because they have their own place, and the parents seem to like it.”
They like it so much, so have made special requests.
“We actually have people that will call up and request the kid's corner,” she said. “They can relax and their kids can have some fun too.”
Vernon said that creating this atmosphere and welcoming feeling in her restaurant has a lot to do with her staff, which shares her views on what a restaurant should be.
“I can't say enough about my staff,” Vernon said. “They are great and do so much for this place and help make it what it is. I was out for a while with a shoulder injury, and they were here every day. They ran the place just like it was their own. I can't say enough good things about all of them.”
At MVP the goal is to create a fun and enjoyable atmosphere.
“We have a lot of fun here,” said Julie Butts, who works as a waitress and cook. “We're always laughing and smiling and having a good time. And we keep pretty busy, there is always something going on here.”
And this attitude helps create a friendly and welcoming atmosphere, that makes guests feel at ease.
“I've lived in this area my whole life,” Butts said. “So there are very few people who come in here that I don't know, and I think the customers like that.”
But the real key, according to Vernon is the food.
Her focus is on comfortable, family style foods, including items like macaroni and cheese, meatloaf, pot roast and beer battered fish.
“We make everything here,” she said. “The food the desserts, everything ... we make right here. I think that is what brings the people in; they know that they are going to get good homemade food”
Vernon will be showcasing many of her homemade items through March to celebrate the restaurant's one-year anniversary with daily $5 lunch specials, slow roaster prime rib on Saturdays and an all-you-can-eat brunch buffet on Sundays.
Looking towards the future, Vernon has plans to make the restaurant more recognizable as the spring and summer set in with outside picnic-table seating and participating in the Route 34B garage sale with hamburgers and hotdogs, as well as making the restaurant available to host parties, banquets and other gathering.
But for now she is just taking pleasure in the fact that she has made it through the first year.
“It is exciting and stressful,” Vernon said. “The annual dues are due and things like that, but more than anything it is exciting that we have been here for a year. Now we are going to focus on getting more people in, getting their attention and letting people know that we are here. And that we are here to stay.”
Vernon made her dream a reality one year ago when she opened up MVP (Marie Vernon's Place) on 34B in Aurora.
“I've been working up to this my whole life,” Vernon explained.
And she really did work her way up. She began working in different restaurant's kitchens, did catering, prep work and even washed dishes.
“My last job was in administration doing all the paper work,” she said. “It was the last part I needed to know before I could start this.”
Vernon, who has lived in the area for the past 12 years, said she has had her eye on the restaurant located at 3234 State Route 34B for the past 10 years.
“I'd drive by and I knew that was the place I wanted,” Vernon said.
The location had been vacant for a while, and the previous owner was only open about a month before closing. It seems just as she was waiting on this location, it was waiting for her.
When she opened her doors, Vernon had one simple idea that she wanted to put into action -create a comfortable, homey atmosphere with good food at a good price.
“Basically I want people to feel like they are at home,” Vernon said. “They should feel like they are at home but they are being waited on.”
This philosophy extends to children as well.
Set to one side of the restaurant, Vernon and her children have set up “Kid's Corner,” complete with tables, menus, games, toys and a television set just for the young ones.
“My kids helped me design it,” Vernon said. “They even add some of their own toys to it. But that was something I knew that I wanted. The kids really like it because they have their own place, and the parents seem to like it.”
They like it so much, so have made special requests.
“We actually have people that will call up and request the kid's corner,” she said. “They can relax and their kids can have some fun too.”
Vernon said that creating this atmosphere and welcoming feeling in her restaurant has a lot to do with her staff, which shares her views on what a restaurant should be.
“I can't say enough about my staff,” Vernon said. “They are great and do so much for this place and help make it what it is. I was out for a while with a shoulder injury, and they were here every day. They ran the place just like it was their own. I can't say enough good things about all of them.”
At MVP the goal is to create a fun and enjoyable atmosphere.
“We have a lot of fun here,” said Julie Butts, who works as a waitress and cook. “We're always laughing and smiling and having a good time. And we keep pretty busy, there is always something going on here.”
And this attitude helps create a friendly and welcoming atmosphere, that makes guests feel at ease.
“I've lived in this area my whole life,” Butts said. “So there are very few people who come in here that I don't know, and I think the customers like that.”
But the real key, according to Vernon is the food.
Her focus is on comfortable, family style foods, including items like macaroni and cheese, meatloaf, pot roast and beer battered fish.
“We make everything here,” she said. “The food the desserts, everything ... we make right here. I think that is what brings the people in; they know that they are going to get good homemade food”
Vernon will be showcasing many of her homemade items through March to celebrate the restaurant's one-year anniversary with daily $5 lunch specials, slow roaster prime rib on Saturdays and an all-you-can-eat brunch buffet on Sundays.
Looking towards the future, Vernon has plans to make the restaurant more recognizable as the spring and summer set in with outside picnic-table seating and participating in the Route 34B garage sale with hamburgers and hotdogs, as well as making the restaurant available to host parties, banquets and other gathering.
But for now she is just taking pleasure in the fact that she has made it through the first year.
“It is exciting and stressful,” Vernon said. “The annual dues are due and things like that, but more than anything it is exciting that we have been here for a year. Now we are going to focus on getting more people in, getting their attention and letting people know that we are here. And that we are here to stay.”
