By Stephen Smoot
“We want to get the community and families involved. We want to make it more community and family oriented.”
Thirteen months ago, Rocky Morgan shared these sentiments as his family’s restaurant and drive-in movie theater served as Business of the Month. He also said that they wanted to make customers “feel like they are a part of the family” with homemade Italian specialties and friendly service.
The week before last, they were advertising Friday wing specials after touting their delicious “all you can eat” spaghetti special.” This followed a summer of family fun at the eatery and theater.
Last week, the family picked through the pieces of a dream yet again deferred to work to rebuild and go forward.
At 6:30 PM on Sept 9, a fire broke out in the Sunset Ellis Drive-In’s concession stand. Though it badly damaged the structure, it came while both the restaurant and theater were closed, so no one was injured.
A Gofundme set up by family member Brittany Hurst declared that “not much will be savable” in the restaurant either and is requesting $15,000 in donations from the community to put toward reconstruction. The establishment had no insurance at the time of the blaze.
A 2023 industry survey showed that 75 percent of small businesses in the United States lack sufficient insurance coverage, mainly due to cost.
Hurst said that “just know that we have a God that can do all things” but “Rocky (Morgan, co-owner of the establishment has one of the strongest faiths I’ve ever seen in a person.”
Hurst has also launched a raffle and other fundraisers may occur to help defer reconstruction costs as well. The flea market, however, has been canceled until further notice.
Crews from Spelter Volunteer Fire Department, Reynoldsville, Nutter Fort, Shinnston, and Bridgeport responded alongside Harrison EMS and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department. The West Virginia State Fire Marshal’s office investigated the fire.