Morris Service Restaurant opened in 1930 on the corner of West Fourth and Marshall Streets.
The restaurant was named for its first operator, a Mr. Morris, who sold it to Howard Lee within a year.
Warner Collier purchased the business in 1944 and operated it until 1964, when George Cortesis and Paul Rogatsios bought it. An article in the Twin City Sentinel on this date in 1964 announced the sale that would take place the following week.
One feature of the restaurant, in addition to its delicious food, was the small jukebox on each booth table, where music could be selected without leaving the booth.
Photo courtesy of Forsyth County Public Library Photograph Collection.
This issue surey stimulates my recollections of growing up in Winston-Salem in the 50’s and 60’s. Mr. Gibson was my high school principal, respected by everyone. Mrs. Wolff was my sister’s piano teacher at her house and studio on Reynolda Road. Molly Grogan was and remains a friend of my sister. And as for Morris Service, my girlfriends and I would come downtown for the Saturday movie, shop for charms for our bracelets, and then have lunch at Morris Service, ordering toasted cream cheese and olive sandwiches and Pepsi with lemon!
Thanks for you comment, Gwynne. Good to hear from you!
I have just been reading a diary of my mother’s from 1946, the year she met and became engaged to my father. Everyday the entry begins….”Ate lunch at the Service….” Except a few Sundays when she either ate at home or at K & W. One entry was especially funny…starting with…” Ate at the Service….(then she crossed out the word Service and replaced it with K&W)!!! Ha ha …she was so used to writing “the Service!” Thank you for this picture of the Service!!!
Thank you for your comment. Morris Service was one of my favorite downtown restaurants. I liked to go there before or after movies at the Carolina Theatre or during a shopping trip. The Cloverdale Kitchen at Cloverdale Plaza, run by the same family, has the feel and the sounds of Morris Service. Maybe they use the same kinds of dishes, but the clink of the dishes always reminds me of Morris Service. There is a painted mural on the wall of the Cloverdale Kitchen that shows several restaurants in town over the years that were run by the Cortesis family. You can also see the mural on the website, cloverdalekitchen.com.