The Village Diner

Hillsborough, NC  

Artist's Statement

Nestled a few blocks from Hillsborough’s downtown is The Village Diner – The oldest continuously operated restaurant in Hillsborough.  The Village Diner is a place where all types of people come together to enjoy fantastic southern cooking.  Some come in as the sun is rising, ready to begin the day with a hearty breakfast.  Others come to enjoy some comfort food at the end of the day.  Employees bond on a lunch break, community members reunite, families come in to catch up, and regulars like George share the local gossip.  Whether ordering off of the menu or partaking in the buffet, enjoying one plate or two, dining with friends or alone, …one thing is for sure - people always enjoy the food!  This food is prepared daily by extremely dedicated staff members, like Anna, who are there from sun up until closing time.

The diner is owned by Ethel Goodwin, or Meema, as her loved ones call her, who over 30 years ago converted the Diner from a bar into the establishment it is today.  She currently lives behind the restaurant.  The restaurant is operated by Meema’s daughter’s family: Teresa Cox, her husband Mike, and their beautiful daughters, Lyndsey and Jessica.  In addition, Jessica’s daughter, Gracie, is sometimes found exploring the restaurant.

The Village Diner is a family operation in every sense of the word. Many of the restaurant’s customers are regulars who are extremely dedicated to the Diner, and the Cox’s know these individuals well.  The Village Diner staff is also considered extended family, and they frequently tease each other, as well as look out for each other. 

Most strongly felt, however, is the close bond of The Cox family itself, particularly amongst the women.  Teresa grew up in and around the restaurant and can still be found there Monday through Friday from 9-5.  She raised Lyndsey and Jessica in the Diner, and vestiges of their youth serve as reminders of old times.  Now the girls are older, and whether checking in with Lyndsey before she heads off with friends or joking about Jessica’s attachment to her blackberry, Teresa and Mike are still actively involved in their daughter’s lives.  Watching Lyndsey prepare for the Senior Prom, however, was glaring evidence that Teresa’s daughter is “no longer the 5 year old who had her birthday at a barn.”  Lyndsey graduates from high school this spring and will attend UNC Asheville in the fall.

In theory, the empty nest will leave more time for Mike to perfect his golf game and detail his motorcycle.  It will also make time for Teresa to continue bowling and catch up with friends after a long day of work.  But, Lyndsey’s absence will definitely change the family dynamic.  It’s hard to believe how quickly children grow and change. 

Teresa is now watching the next generation of women.  Gracie, like her mother and Aunt before her, spends many an afternoon at Meema’s house behind the restaurant.  Though Teresa watchers her turn flips today, Gracie, too, is growing up fast.  Two generations of women have grown and evolved within the Diner’s walls.  And now, Teresa can enjoy helping to nurture the next.  

The Village Diner was a project created in the spring of 2010 as part of the coursework for  "Small Town, USA."   "Small Town, USA" was taught by Susie Post Rust at Duke University's Center for Documentary Studies.