Bill O’Boyle: Raub's takes us home again

Apr. 30—PLYMOUTH — As soon as I walked through the door of Raub's Restaurant the other day, I knew the old Thomas Wolfe saying "you can't go home again" was just not true.

Wolfe meant that past times which are fondly remembered are irrecoverably in the past and cannot be relived.

Wrong.

We all can go home again — and again and again.

I do it all the time, with the aid of my "virtual" Way Back Machine. I return often to my younger days in Plymouth and my Reynolds Street neighborhood and to all of those wonderful days of growing up and learning what life is all about.

So despite what Thomas Wolfe says, we can go home again and I did that — again — last week.

Before I met Stacey Spencer at Raub's restaurant, I drove though my old neighborhood and past the former Nottingham Street School, where I went to first grade in a classroom that also contained second graders at the same time.

I then drove down Reynolds Street and stopped and stared at 210, where I grew up and I remembered all we did back in the day. And then I drove over Second Street, past the 12th Ward Veterans Memorial and past the former Jack's Market, before catching a glimpse of that second floor covered porch over the former Mountain Inn where our rock and roll band practiced.

Yes, I was home again, for sure.

I pulled into the parking lot of Raub's and the sign caught my eye and took me by surprise. The sign had a big "R" on it and underneath it said "Since 1924."

Since I sometimes paid attention in math class, thanks to my teachers Hope Park and Abner Millard, I quickly realized that Raub's will soon celebrate its 100th year of doing business at 509 West Main St., in Plymouth.

Wow!

When Stacey opened the front door and we walked in, it was like traveling back in time. The bar area looked exactly like I had remembered it. I remembered seeing older gentlemen at the bar drinking shots of whiskey and chasing them with Tab soda at 9 a.m.

But when I saw the booths against the wall across from the, I could see my dad and me having dinner there. We would usually get ham with mashed potatoes and corn and coleslaw — Raub's has the best cole slaw I've ever tasted.

Dad and I would have dinner before heading to the hospital to visit my mom, so these were bittersweet memories for me, but evidence that we can go home again.

It was great to learn that Stacey Spencer will reopen Raub's soon — she has a mid-May target date. And as soon as those doors open, the people will return because Raub's is an iconic restaurant that has always had the right recipe for success.

Raub's will be open for lunch and dinner and Stacey hopes to resume breakfast service soon.

Raub's is an institution in Plymouth. People who grew up in other small towns in Luzerne County have similar memories of what it was like to live in a world where hometown pride was a way of life, school spirit was evident at every football or basketball game and where neighbors were always neighborly.

Raub's has been a big part of Plymouth's history for nearly 100 years.

So as I drove through Plymouth again, the memories just kept flowing through my mind. I have always said that these memories will remain with me forever and I will tap them over and over to feel better about today's world by remembering those best of days.

I like to think those experiences molded us into fine, upstanding human beings who appreciate things like patriotism, community pride, quality education, delicious food, friendly businessmen and women, outstanding athletics, and the refreshing feel of a thirst-quenching cherry Coke.

I recalled walking on the winding sidewalk of the Plymouth High School campus in the shade of tall trees to the entrance of the building.

For me and my hilltop pals, we would stop at Minnie's Store, a yellow house on Orchard Street where Minnie sold penny candy, or we would stop at Klavonski's Store on West Shawnee Avenue for more candy.

Or maybe we would stop at Kocher's Store at the top of Academy Street, later to be Joe Volinsky's, or even venture over to Lou Gelb's at the top of Gaylord Avenue.

My neighborhood had Jack's Market on Second Street. Kids would go there for a Tastykake, a Yoo Hoo, a Kickapoo Joy Juice or a Fudgsicle and sit outside and plan our next adventure. Jack and Ann Ziomek would wait on customers and Picky Shusta would deliver called-in orders from neighbors, like my mom.

On weekends, we would walk or bike all the way to the other side of town to buy Wiffle balls at Smolock's at Bull Run.

Memory after memory — of pizza at Joe's and Arnold's, or the Octagon Bar, hoagies at Walt's Servette or Red's Subs, hot dogs at Mergo's, ice cream at Golden Quality.

And football games at Huber Field, basketball at the Gaylord Armory and coaches John "Snoggy" Mergo and Joe Evan. Hacker's Market, Mitch Plessett's Men's Store, Bill Goldstein's Hardware, Al Wasley's Jewelers, Rea & Derick, the Shawnee Theater, Ben Franklin Store.

And lunch or dinner at Raub's.

Welcome back, old friend.

Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle, or email at boboyle@timesleader.com.