Bertsie's open for new year
By ALLAN TINKER
The sharp little building along Highway 200 in McClusky has had new owners since last Nov 1. Alberta Voegele and husband William purchased the red and white drive-in from Ms Becky (Becky and Hienie Stein). It is now Bertsie’s Drive-In.
When Voegele heard Becky say they were going to sell the business, she asked if she could buy it. Since she was working there, she said she had liked the work and working for Becky.
Now, in her own place, opened on April 21 for the new season, she adds, "I like it. It is fun."
With six staff already on board to fill the long open hours from 10 am to 10 pm starting on Me-morial Day, she keeps an eye out for anyone who might enjoy the work and the customers in the small town and those that pass through. It is the only drive in on Highway 200 for many miles in any direction.
On this first week, she was closing up with assistant cook in training helping. The help from Brianna Ford and reduced hours until the weather turns warm (10 am to 8 pm) is or will be filled out with Alex Naser (now) Skylar Simes (clean-up and ice cream) (later), Jeremy Lauer, Andrea Lauer, Deb Mortenson, Derek Mortenson (later), Lori Hollenbeck (relief) and Kathy Kitto (just new). Of these most are till and ice cream labor, with Jeremy and Andrea, Darci and Taylor Gahner, as cooks and all duties.
Voegele smiles when asked about her background in running a food establishment. "None," she said. This belies her skill in feeding the small children in her previous business as a day care provider and her skill in feeding her family of five.
