Cultural Center
Christmas Ornaments
"Sunny Side Inn -
Oyster Bar" Williamton NC,
Begun
as a small grocery store by Theodore Roberson and wife Annie in 1929,
the current Sunnyside Oyster Bar first began operating in part as a
restaurant called the Sunny Side Inn in 1931. Around 1934-35, Theodore
and sons Charles T. and George expanded the restaurant to include an
oyster bar at the rear of the building. With Theodore’s death in 1940,
the grocery portion of the business known as the Sanitary Service Market
was closed and by 1945, the restaurant advertised exclusively as the
Sunny Side Oyster Bar.
Both the original store and restaurant of craftsman’s style wood frame
construction comprise the business operating today. An early complex of
out buildings suppling the oyster operations has since been demolished
but original steaming equipment, furnishings and finishes in the
restaurant have been lovingly maintained and restored where necessary.
CT Roberson took ownership of the property from his mother in 1964. In
1993, he leased the business to a group of local investors who later
made purchase of the restaurant. Through their thoughtful management,
this local landmark, and to the National Register of Historic Places in
1995, has since elevated seasonally from October to April as a premiere
travel destination within North Carolina’s growing tourism economy.
The Friends of Old Martin County Courthouse present as our annual
ornament for 2020 “Sunny Side – Oyster Bar” from the original print
created by noted Williamston artist, Glinda Fox. Many thanks to the
Francis M. Barnes Charitable Trust for its financial support of this
project.
Ornaments are on sale from November 1 to
December 31
Call 252-792-5243 Today!