LAWRENCEBURG, Ky. (LEX18) — If you live in Lawrenceburg, you're probably familiar with the little diner off of West Broadway Street.
When you walk into the Fairgrounds Drive-In Restaurant, you're immediately met with a friendly face and a welcoming smile — and it's been that way for 75 years.
Even after new owner Susan Gail Upchurch took over, that warm welcome hasn't changed.
"It's a staple in Lawrenceburg. It's been here for years, I remember coming here 30 years ago with my kids," Upchurch said.
Upchurch says the community is at the heart of everything the restaurant does.
"We just wanted to kind of bring back to the community. The community is what it is. We are the Fairgrounds, but the community is what keeps us going," Upchurch said.
With the help of her family, Upchurch has made the sizzling restaurant her own — adding artwork and memorabilia — while still keeping traditions alive. One of those traditions is the restaurant's famous coney sauce, a recipe that dates back to the 1950s.
"The famous coney sauce. The coney sauce has been here since the 50's and everybody has passed the recipe down. You know from buyer to buyer. We do have the recipe for the famous coney sauce. We do still make it in the same pan they made it in," Upchurch said.
The coney sauce isn't the only thing keeping customers coming back. Upchurch says the cheeseburgers speak for themselves.
"The cheeseburger is the best burger you'll ever eat. We had a guy come in yesterday, he had never been here before. He got a cheeseburger, he got a coney dog. He ate out in the parking lot, he came back in, and he said, 'I'm gonna tell you all that's the best cheeseburger I've ever had in my life,'" Upchurch said.
Loyal customer David Buchanan says the Fairgrounds is more than just a meal — it's an experience.
"It's really like getting in a time machine, but a great time machine. Things were a little more simpler, a little more personal," Buchanan said.
Buchanan makes it a point to visit regularly, and he's not alone.
"I try to come here once a week. Right now, my family loves it. I bring my son Trosper, my wife Stephanie. They — every time we come here, they really like the food, it's really good," Buchanan said.
The restaurant has also added a new snow cone machine, according to Natalie Bast.
"We decided to make a snowcone and sell some snowcones," Bast said.
While the heart of the diner will remain, Upchurch has plans to add a pick-up window and hopes to bring the famous coney sauce to some Bluegrass festivals.
"We just want to see where things take us. Actually, we go one day at a time. That's all we can do. And we love it," Upchurch said.
As the Fairgrounds Drive-In marks 75 years, Upchurch has a message for the community that has kept the diner going.
"Just thank you all. Thank Anderson County for everything they've done for us since we've been here. I'm gonna cry. But we really enjoy everybody coming in and please come in. Fairgrounds, if you need a hug come get a hug. Get a good juicy cheeseburger. Our coney sauce, our coney dogs. We just love everybody and really appreciate it," Upchurch said.
Fairgrounds is closed on Sundays and Mondays. However, you can stop in for a bite from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays through Saturdays.
