NARRAGANSETT — A home away from home for many New Englanders, Aunt Carrie’s Restaurant celebrates 90 years of homemade south county seafood in a warm family atmosphere.
Owner, Elsie Foy, parishioner of St. Mary Parish in Carolina, began working at Aunt Carrie’s when she was 16 years old, cutting pies and desserts. It’s where she met her husband, Bill and started her family.
“It was my husband’s family’s restaurant,” she said. “I can’t tell you how many marriages came out of this place. It’s truly amazing.”
Aunt Carrie’s just reopened for weekend service in April after the long winter, and will be open full time beginning Memorial Day. Best known for their popular seafood, Aunt Carrie’s fried clams, lobster rolls, clam cakes and chowder were voted Best of Rhode Island 2009 by Rhode Island Monthly readers.
“Ice cream is the newest venture,” said Foy, who will be opening Aunt Carrie’s Ice Cream, located across the street from the restaurant, this summer. “It just happened to be our 90th year and we wanted to open something a little different. We also make all of the pies and breads from scratch.”
The real Aunt Carrie was Carrie Cooper, Foy explained. In the early 1900’s, Carrie and her husband Ulysses traveled from their home in Connecticut with their six children to enjoy the beauty of Narragansett. Aunt Carrie’s eventually began as a small lemonade stand near the Point Judith lighthouse until Ulysses bought the property where the restaurant is now located. Since 1920 the restaurant has continued to grow.
With a long history of strong family ties, Foy explained that Aunt Carrie’s is on its fourth generation of relatives running the restaurant. Her two daughters, Amy, 32, Laura, 27, and her son-in-law Philip, all help to continue to make the restaurant a success.
For many local businesses, the past year has been met with financial difficulties amid the troubled economy, but Foy added that the restaurant has not really been affected. In an effort to keep costs reasonable, Aunt Carrie’s has not raised their prices and is still using last year’s menu. Foy said that the weather is something that can be a disappointment to business.
“Weather has a lot to do with how business is,” she said. “When it rained on Sunday, it was quiet no matter where you went. The weather does play a big part here. It’s our take-out window that suffers. We just have to hope and pray for some sunny days.”
Referring to the restaurant as “Aunt Carrie’s Summer Camp,” Foy explained that she employs mostly high school and college students. More than 110 local kids were on her staff last summer.
“It’s a very young atmosphere. If you get to be 24 and you are still working here, you are pretty old,” she said, laughing.
Foy explained that incorporates her Catholic faith into how she treats her staff, adding that Aunt Carrie's is a Christian atmosphere.
“Because I have all kids working here, besides being everybody’s boss, I am everybody’s mother,” she said. “I try to keep it clear, there’s no swearing in the kitchen, and that they need to talk to everybody with respect. Customers come in and tell me how good my wait staff is and how kind they are. They really are the all-American type kids. I really do have a great staff.”
A historic summertime destination for locals and those visiting the beaches of Southern Rhode Island since the 1920’s, Aunt Carrie’s continues to form bonds among staff and patrons.
“It’s definitely a fun place,” said Foy. “A lot of the staff has stayed friends and even their kids have worked here. There have been second and third generations of staff. It’s like family.”
