PINE BLUFF -- Bobby Garner has manned the kitchen as owner and chief short-order cook at the Sno-White Grill in downtown for more than 50 years. Since 1970, he has lovingly placed countless slices of yellow cheese onto sizzling beef patties for thousands of hungry customers.
The prime rib and plate lunches also are revered.
But at 9 tonight, the griddle at the Pine Bluff landmark will be switched off for the last time. The man many call the best burger chef in the state has decided to close his restaurant for good.
Garner, 78, said the Sno-White will open under new ownership as an Italian restaurant sometime in the spring. He said he plans to help out when he can, possibly greeting customers or offering advice.
After all, a man who has overseen every part of restaurant operations for 45 years can't just quit cold turkey.
"It's in my blood," Garner said of the restaurant business. "All of the people who have visited through the years have meant the world to me. They are the best part of all this. But I am 78 years old, and it may be time to slow down a little bit."
Six days a week, Garner starts his day at the Sno-White at 5:30 a.m., preparing for loyal breakfast customers and the eventual lunch rush.
The Sno-White Grill opened at 310 E. Fifth Ave. in 1936, though no one is quite sure how the restaurant got its name. Speculation points to the Disney film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, which hit theaters around the time Sno-White first opened.
A fire in 1990 destroyed the original structure, but Garner soon rebuilt, although memories of the blaze still bother him.
"It was a difficult time," Garner said. "But I knew we had to rebuild and reopen. We did, and our customers came back just like always."
The restaurant's longevity and homestyle cooking have made it a must-stop location for those seeking nostalgia and a meal that doesn't come in a paper sack through a window.
Steve Carrington, who lives in rural Jefferson County, drove about 15 miles Friday to eat lunch at Sno-White for the last time. He said he grew up eating there with his father, and he can't imagine life without the restaurant.
"I don't know where I will get a decent burger now," Carrington said with a smile. "This place really is an institution. It's the absolute best."
Arkansas author and food blogger Kat Robinson, who has written extensively about the state's culinary culture and history, said Sno-White is the latest classic restaurant to disappear over the past few years.
"Recently, Ed and Kay's Restaurant, a Benton favorite, shut down when owner Kay Diemer decided to retire," Robinson said. "Klappenbach Bakery [in Fordyce] ceased operation when the owners' son decided not to continue in the bakery business. The Theobalts, who owned the famed Coy's Steakhouse in Hot Springs, chose not to rebuild after the restaurant burned to the ground a few years ago."
Robinson noted another Pine Bluff landmark, Colonial Steakhouse, has been able to survive under new ownership, while memories of other noted restaurants across the state are kept alive in different ways.
"In Little Rock, the old Blue Mesa Grill is immortalized with cheese dip offered at both Loca Luna and Juanita's," Robinson said. "Local Lime offers a 'Taco Kid' Tuesday each month, sharing the red sauce, cheese sauce and dishes from the former Mexican joint."
Robinson called Garner's decision to close his grill "a sad one, but he certainly deserves the fruits of his labor in retirement."
On a public Facebook page dedicated to news about Pine Bluff, dozens of messages have been written in recent days about the Sno-White Grill.
Kelly Murphy wrote its closing is "probably the saddest news I've heard all day."
Shirley Gibbins Shank wrote: "Best wishes to Bobby. Spent many happy times at the Sno-White."
Bruce Holsted wished Garner and his family "good health and many years of peace. They have worked so hard for so long. They certainly have earned it."
But first, Garner still has a few more cheeseburgers and lunch specials to plate before he retires his spatula tonight.
"It's been a good run," Garner said. "And folks can still expect to see me around. I am not going anywhere."
Metro on 02/14/2015