Blackfoot Truckstop Diner: 60 years of family service, retro atmosphere

The Blackfoot Truckstop Diner, aniconic Inglewood establishment, this June celebrates 60 yearsof servingCalgarians everything from lemon meringue pie to milkshakes.

Stepping into the diner and seeing the hot pink walls, hearingthesound of thejukeboxes, it alltakes you back to another time. Takingyour seat, you cancount on being called"hon" by your server asshe sets down thethick and delicious milkshake.

"It's all about the people," said Terry Taylor, a co-owner of the diner. "It's down to earth, nothing fancy."

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Terry and his sister Roxanne Taylor inherited the diner from their late mother, Edna Taylor, in 2011 when she died.

Situated onleased land at the corner of 9 Avenue and 19 Street in the southeast, the pair says the longevity of the business is all a testament to Edna. As a reminder of her, a painting of an angel adorns the doorway of the diner.

"It's to remind us that she's watching over us, even now and we better be doing a good job, because she had rules and we better follow them," Roxannesaidlaughing.

A real family business

One of the rules imposed by Edna, was the six-inch-meringue rule.

"It's one of the things the diner was so well known for, the pie," Roxanne said. Adding that her motherwas not above taking a ruler to the towering meringue.

Calgary Eyeopener5:37Calgary's Blackfoot Truckstop Diner celebrates anniversary

Calgary's iconic Blackfoot Truckstop Diner celebrates its 60th anniversary next month. The CBC's Sarah Lawrynuik takes us for a tour of the restaurant.

Diane Wnuk, Edna's sister, recalls her time as a waitress, working hard but loving the staff like family. Ofcourse, many of the staff were family. Regularcustomers includedtruckers coming in from across the continent whocame for the food but stayed for the genuine family service.

"They were great. Great. If we ever had a problem, they would back us up like you wouldn't believe," Wnuk said.

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Edna's brother, Emery Eslinger, worked at the restaurant from 1984 until 2013 and enjoyed doing the books, but working seven days a week, he had his hands in just about everything.

ElviraMacKenzie, Edna's oldest sister, worked at the restaurant for about 40 years. She recalls Christmas Day being the only day the restaurant closed its doors, until one year Edna decided she didn't want to leave anyone out in the cold.

"And every Christmas Day, I worked for her," MacKenziesaid.

Edna hadstroke while on a catering job in 2011 with her daughter, workingright up until the minute it happened.

"At first, it was really hard to come here. I was so heartbroken because it was so sudden. But then I thought, that first Christmas, this is what she would want us to do," she said.

'She's my blessing'

While the diner has stayed in the Taylor family, Tanyia Brown is the woman in charge these days.

"She's my blessing," Terry said.

Brown, 32, has worked at the diner for 15 years, learning the ropes from Edna while she was still around.

"I learned everything from her," Brown said, "(she was)ahuge blessing to my life."

The family acknowledges how rare it is for a business to stay open60 years. Though they can't namejust one secret to success,community is key.

"Everybody wants to be loved and for some reason, this place kind of shows that, from the waitresses' care, to the staff, to the customers, across generations," Terry said.

"Things evolve and change but I think it's not about any specific thing, but the people. The people feel like they are our somebody."