11/29/2021
The rumor is true! Cross Keys is closing their doors for good on December 12, 2021.
Back in October of 2006, when my husband became permanently disabled; I stopped at Cross Keys Diner to inquire about the Cashier position they had posted on their marquee. I was hired on the spot. Little did I know that some 15 plus years later, I would still be working here.
But that is how Cross Keys is. That is the side of Cross Keys that many in the community never knew or realized. So many of our employees have been here for such a long time; and in some cases, most of their lives. Through the years, numerous employees have come and gone, and come back again. Why? Because when you were hired, you weren’t just an employee; you became part of the Cross Keys Family.
It is a typically family. We have some great times together. We have some disagreements and some differences of opinion. But at the end of the day, we care about each other; and, want the best for all. What did our owners expect from us in return? Something very simple and basic really. They just wanted us to be dependable, do our jobs, and, take care of our customers.
And, our owners, Chris, Vickie, Nick, and Angie; never sat in some ivory tower overseeing the company. On a daily basis, anywhere from one of them, to all of them; were down in the trenches with the rest of us, working in the diner or the hotel. They worked in the kitchen, they washed dishes, they cooked, they waitressed, cashiered, hosted, cleaned, did housekeeping in the hotel rooms, performed maintenance duties, or answered phones in the hotel. You name it, they did it all.
They lead by example and worked just as hard, if not harder at times, than any of us. You took care of the customers, and in turn, the company; and, they took care of you.
If you needed a flexible schedule, done. If you needed time off, done. If you needed a temporary place to stay, done. If you needed help in so many other ways, done.
A great example of this is the night my husband suffered a heart attack. I obviously had to call off of work. By the time I got to the hospital following the ambulance, registered, and was sitting in the waiting room, waiting to be able to go see my husband; Vickie was walking through the entrance of the emergency room. She sat in the waiting room with me and my sister-in-law, and waited until I was able to go back to see him. She even stayed until they were taking him to be operated on, and, came to see him to wish him well before they took him. When she left, she said, “Take as much time as you need, we’ll work it out.” How many company owners do that?
The other thing that many in the community didn’t realize, is just how community minded this company was. I cannot tell you the shear amount of donations I logged, given out to schools, churches, individuals, groups, other organizations, you name it.
Plus, although it was detrimental to the company, and cost an exorbitant amount of money; they stood up to an overzealous township, and won. This was not just for themselves, because believe me it would have been less expensive in more ways than one, to bow to the pressure. This was for all businesses in the township. Cross Keys chose to be the one to say, enough is enough; and, stood up for what was right.
In spite of all of these things, Cross Keys consistently offered good food, in more than ample quantity, at very reasonable pricing. They offered one of the lowest hotel rates around, and on top of that provided a free full breakfast in the diner the morning following a stay. Banquet Rentals had some of the most reasonable and affordable rates I have seen. And, when the Lounge was open, we offered free entertainment with never having a cover charge.
Then there was Co-Vid. The diner was closed down twice, the lounge was closed indefinitely, the hotel business suffered, and banquets were next to non-existent. If they had not been the type of company that they had been for well over 50 years; as many others, they would not have survived the last 2 years. Yet, they persevered. But the time has now come.
It is finally time for the Chris, Vickie, Nick, and Angie to be able to sit back, relax, and, enjoy the fruits of their labor with their families. Yes, I am sad to see an end to this era. Yes, I will miss my home away from home. Yes, I will miss my co-workers and all the many customers and friends I have made these last 15+ years.
But, when you care about someone; it is not always just about you, it is about them. And for them, I am extremely happy.
Plus, any time I feel the need to have a great political or philosophical debate about something; I have Chris’s cell phone number. LOL!
