Castleton's Birdseye Diner: A piece of the past
Birdseye Diner has earned its place as a mainstay of the Castleton community. Photo by Duncan W. Campbell.
Townspeople, college students and tourists ascend a short, wide staircase to a building of yellow and chrome panels with an ornate neon sign that flashes “Birdseye” in red lettering. The patrons are greeted by waitresses in blue polo shirts in a low dining area covered in turquoise tiles.
Friends, families and anyone looking for a comfort meal lounge in ruby leather booths and circular barstools as they chat or sit quietly, recovering from the night before. The servers move back and forth in the small space, delivering plates filled with omelets mixed with every breakfast meat imaginable, and distinctive yellow mugs brim-full with freshly brewed coffee.
It’s a Sunday morning in Castleton. On the tree-lined main drag, cars are driving to church or cruising through town. Birdseye Diner, the architecture of which stands juxtaposed to its rural New England location and is tucked between a hair salon and the post office, is a destination that attracts people from all walks of life.
The shelves and walls inside the restaurant are filled with mid 20th-century ephemera and artwork. In the tightly fitting men’s bathroom hangs a large picture of James Dean. Underneath the voices of the customers, “Sherry” by the Four Seasons plays faintly from tiny speakers. Hanging far right of center above a large freezer containing Gifford’s ice cream, is a small tin advertising sign, containing the words, “Everybody Likes Popsicle: The Frozen Drink on a Stick” wrapped around a slick-haired boy holding an orange Popsicle.
After their meals, customers walk up to a register on top of the bar, tip graciously and leave comments in small brown boxes. Their brunch is complete. Come the following Sunday, the same customers will likely treat themselves again.
The food, location and idiosyncrasies make the diner a local treasure.
“On the nights they run their specials, it’s unbelievable here. You have people lined up out the door,” said Sherill Huntington, of Whitehall, New York.
Originally manufactured in Paterson, New Jersey, in the 1940s, the building served as a Silk City Dining Car in Meriden, Connecticut, for 18 years. It was refurbished and moved to Castleton on the former site of another diner, which burned down in 1968. John Rehlen, the current owner, bought the establishment in 1995, renovated it and built an additional dining area.
Rehlen, who also owns the Castleton Village Store and Castleton Pizza Place, said the original appeal behind diners was their proximity to the American working class. Factory workers would eat from horse-drawn carriages parked outside of factory gates during their lunch breaks. These carriages eventually evolved into brick-and-mortar locations.
Rehlen confirmed that the diner’s appeal extends to all kinds of folks. His customers range from manual laborers to college administrators.
“It really goes across the board, and people can come in and get an affordable meal, get good service in a local, cozy atmosphere,” Rehlen said.
Sgt. David Kitchin, a Vermont National Guard recruiter from Fair Haven, said as a younger person, it’s great to have a place like Birdseye because members of a newer generation generally do not reflect on past American culture. Having an old-fashioned establishment not only offers college students and young adults home-cooked meals, but it also allows them to experience a relic from another time period.
“I think it’s a forgotten art,” Kitchin said.
Given its proximity to Castleton University, Birdseye is a convenient staple for the college population. Castleton Senior Cassidy Newnan, who has been a server at Birdseye for more than a year, said classmates frequent the diner for a hangover cure. For her, the short walking distance makes it easier on travel and studying, and she enjoys her job.
“All the customers are really sweet; everyone I work with is great; it’s pretty fast paced, so it’s nice because I’m always busy,” she said.
Most of the popular items are comfort foods — burgers, breakfast food like pancakes and eggs Benedict, and chicken pot pie. Like other diners, Birdseye tries to design its menu to satisfy the largest number of people, a practice that began in the 1950s to compete with fast-food chains and other roadside restaurants, according to a New York Times article.
“You want to appeal to as broad of a population base as you possibly can,” Rehlen said.
As a restaurant in a rural area, Birdseye’s presence is mainly spread through word of mouth, but the owners also buy print advertisements in local papers and post on social media.
Additionally, the owners encourage customer feedback, whether it is praise or criticism, and try to compensate for any discomforts.
“We typically rectify if it’s a legitimate complaint and make it right,” Rehlen said.
Kitchin added he is optimistic about Birdseye’s future. Being beloved and unique to the area, Kitchin said locals will continue coming here, and the diner will be their eatery of choice as they get older.
“If they (the owners) keep doing what they’re doing, honestly, it’s gonna keep thriving the way it is,” he said.
Rehlen is just as optimistic. He said he and his children have worked together to keep the diner and his other businesses running. His son, Wenger, is as involved as he is, and Rehlen plans to pass the torch to him in order to keep Birdseye in the family.
“It would be my dream to carry that on,” Rehlen said.
