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Tasty tradition

by Grace Pritchett
Berryman's Tastee Treat opened in 1951 and is the longest-operating business in Mt. Sterling. Started by brothers Billy and Warren Berryman and their wives, Mae and Sissy, it evolved into a local icon known for milkshakes and chili dogs. The restaurant has been owned since 1984 by Danny Berryman, 67, and Julie Berryman, 64. The sign that reads "We love you Kim" was put up in honor of Julie's and Danny's daughter, Kim, who was killed in a fire in 2004.

Berryman’s Tastee Treat is the oldest continuously operating business in Mt. Sterling. Started in 1951 by brothers Billy and Warren Berryman along with their wives, Mae and Sissy, Berryman’s was located in a building on Main Street with just enough room for a kitchen, one ice-cream machine and two walk-up windows.

Berryman’s quickly became known for its ice cream and milkshakes, the town favorite for a summer-time treat.

“People would be lined up on both sides of the street as far as you could see,” recalls Julie Berryman, the current co-owner. “But everybody was patient. It was like Berryman’s was where you went to hang out and visit.”

Berryman’s menu grew to include a family chili recipe created by Mae, and used to make their famous chili dogs and chili buns.

“The chili recipe is still a secret,” says Tom Curtis, a customer. “You know why? You cannot duplicate it.”

Danny Berryman, son of Billy and Mae, married Julie, and after graduating from Georgetown College they both became high school teachers.

That was 1984, and Berryman’s had been sold to someone outside the family. But when co-founder Warren suffered a heart attack, within a week Danny and Julie left their teaching jobs and bought Berryman’s back.

Re-establishing the restaurant to its former popularity wasn’t easy. Danny and Julie worked seven days a week in the summer while raising two children. “We were never together as a family, and that was hard,” Julie says.

Danny remembers his parents working in much the same way, sometimes up to 80 hours a week in the summer.

In 2003, Julie and Danny moved into the Dairy Queen building across Main Street, gaining enlarged space. The menu was expanded to include hamburgers, fries, onion rings and much more.

Today, Julie and Danny take turns opening the store in the mornings. They hope to pass the restaurant to their son, Kyle.

Julie and Danny had been grooming their daughter, Kim, to take over the family business.  But she tragically passed away in October 2004 in a fire. In honor of Kim, the family raises money for a scholarship fund, part of the Mt. Sterling Distinguished Young Woman leadership program that helps prepare high school women for college.

“It just changes your whole perspective,” says Julie, looking back on the long history of restaurant employees. “The good thing about it is, we have the most wonderful people. They are all my daughters and my sons. It’s very family, very family . . . We do trust them with our lives.”

Julie Berryman, co-owner of Berryman's, drinks coffee with Carol Tapp before opening the restaurant. Carol has worked at Berryman's for 25 years. Since Julie stepped down as manager in 2004, she has coffee in the mornings before opening the restaurant with many of the employees. She says its an opportunity to communicate with them, because she does not work as much anymore. "Sometimes we laugh, sometimes we cry," she says.
Kay and Lorene White place an order at Berryman's. Kay and Lorene are from Mt. Sterling and have been going to Berryman's their whole lives. "I love Berryman's," Kay says. "It has got great food." Berryman's started out selling chili dogs, ice cream and milkshakes and has expanded its menu to include other items such as burgers, fries and onion rings since moving to the Dairy Queen building in 2003.
Every wall in Berryman's has a different theme, one being the "family wall," Julie says. The wall features all generations of the Berryman family. Danny Berryman recalls growing up with his parents working seven days a week in the summer. "I can remember, when I was young, there was a shelf in the kitchen area," he says. "Dad would take the boxes out of the bottom shelf and put me in a blanket and a pillow right there, so every other night I was sleepin' down there until they closed."
Kaye Hunt eats a chili bun at Berryman's with her husband, Dan Hunt, and Tim Curtis. Kaye, who has been going to Berryman's all her life, says when she was in high school she and her friends would drive to there for lunch. "They had windows in the front and . . . all of their toppings were right there," she says. "I mean, you could watch them make everything they made."
A cook checks an order at Berryman's. Julie and Danny take turns opening the restaurant in the mornings, but they have taken a less hands-on role with the business. They are hoping to pass on the family business to the next generation.
Amy Risner shares a joke with Heather Abkins and Carol Tapp while working at Berryman's in the kitchen.
High school students Bailey Matheny, Darcy Oldfield, and Larah Helayne chat while waiting to get ice cream at Berryman's. The group says they have been coming to Berryman's almost every day together since 6th or 7th grade.