November Member Spotlight: Rosie's Restaurant

​The New Oxford Area Chamber of Commerce would like to dedicate this month’s Member Spotlight in memory of Brenda Troutman. Brenda, a longtime employee of Rosie’s Restaurant and an active member of the New Oxford Lions Club, passed away on Monday, August 31, 2020. Our thoughts continue to be with Brenda’s loved ones. ​

Rosie's Restaurant owners Sue and Pat Senft stand in front of their restaurant.

If winning a million dollars in the lottery is lucky, then Rosie’s Restaurant in New Oxford must be a lucky charm for local lottery hopefuls. Since the restaurant began selling lottery tickets in the early 2000s, Rosie’s has sold not one, not two, but THREE million-dollar lottery tickets. The first winning ticket came in 2005, and the second followed in 2009.

The most recent winner comes in the midst of a year that has had few bright spots due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In late July, Rosie’s celebrated its third big lottery winner, bringing some light and excitement during a difficult time for small businesses.

Donna Melhorn has worked at Rosie's for 16 years.

Rosie’s has been a part of the New Oxford community for decades. The restaurant officially opened under the name Rosie’s Restaurant in 1991 after serving as the home of other restaurants over the years.

Current owners Pat and Sue Senft had always wanted to have their own restaurant. They both grew up in the industry. Even their first jobs were at restaurants. In December 1999, they fulfilled their dream by purchasing Rosie’s from owner Lois Reynolds. Lois stayed on for six months to help with the transition in ownership. Pat and Sue kept everything the same at first before gradually working in their own ideas.

The Senfts enjoy being a part of the New Oxford community. They have especially found a support system among the other dining establishments around town. The local restaurants have even formed a collaborative network for employment and are quick to refer potential employees to one another as needed.

Pat and Sue also enjoy the bond they share with their customers. Over the years, the Senfts have learned about the history of New Oxford through the stories of their loyal clientele. They have built meaningful relationships with many of the customers, who often come in weekly, or, in some cases, daily.

One of the reasons Rosie’s has such a loyal customer base is because of their employees. The full staff at Rosie’s is made up of about 25 employees, including teenagers working their first job and college students home for the summer. Many of Rosie’s employees have been with the business for over 10 years. For example, Sharon Spangler has worked at Rosie’s for 22 years. Sharon started as a dishwasher, and, over the years, has worked her way up to prep cook. Donna Melhorn has worked at the restaurant for 16 years, and Denise Kenawell started at Rosie’s when she was just 14.

Rosie's employee Dakota

Perhaps two of the most well-known employees were husband-wife pair Don and Brenda Troutman. The Troutmans worked together at the restaurant for 17 years, often taking over when Pat and Sue were out of town. Brenda created a system that worked well for her and her husband – Brenda was the waitress while Don would get drinks for the customers and bus the tables.

Don and Brenda Troutman

Since they took over the restaurant in 1999, the Senfts have celebrated many milestones with their staff and customers. Rosie’s is where they raised their children, all of whom worked at the restaurant growing up. Pat and Sue have fond memories of hosting picnics and Christmas parties over the years. Rosie’s Restaurant has also been the location of many baby and bridal showers. Oftentimes, guests come back and visit over the years

Rosie's employees Trystan and Denise

Owning your own business is not without its downsides. Pat and Sue shared that the hardest part of owning a small business is consistency and trying to make everyone happy. Despite the difficult parts of being a business owner, the Senfts believe that the friends you make and the people you met, from customers to employees, makes the experience worthwhile.

With 21 years of restaurant ownership under their belts, the Senfts look to make even more memories over the coming years. Here’s to many more accomplishments and milestones (and maybe even another lottery winner) for Rosie’s Restaurant!

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The Chamber would like to encourage our community to continue to shop and support local. Please support our local restaurants, stores and small businesses that have been significantly impacted by COVID-19. Your support is vital to our small business community! Show your support on Saturday, November 28 for Small Business Saturday and throughout the year. ​​​​​