STONY RIDGE — Pee Wee’s is back.
The popular ice cream stand known as Pee Wee’s Dari Snak on U.S. 20 closed last fall. Longtime operator
Maxine Haas hung up her apron and retired after more than 50 years in the business.
When Haas announced her retirement, she thought that was going to be the end of the family dynasty. But,
after it closed, her son, Rusty Waters, and his son, Trent, decided to scoop up the business and carry
on the family tradition.
The revitalized Pee Wee’s opened on April 5 for full-time operation and the new duo is thrilled with the
opportunities before them.
“I started working there when I was 5 with my grandfather,” Rusty said of his early days at the store. “I
wanted to keep it going in the family.”
Trent serves as the general manager. Rusty has two other jobs: one with his own business, Waters and Sons
Electric, and the other with Home Depot.
“My mom said she didn’t ever want to come back to work there after she retired,” Rusty said. “When it
opened for the first time this year, she was our first customer.”
Trent is glad that Pee Wee’s stayed in the family.
“It means a lot to me. Somebody in our family should have been the one to take over. It’s been great. And
I have been excited with all the people coming in and asking about my parents and grandparents,” Trent
said.
Both Trent and his dad are excited to bring back an old menu item — homemade barbecue beef.
“That is still the same recipe and we are glad that it is back on the menu,” Rusty said.
“That is the same recipe that Pee Wee handed down to Maxine who now handed it down to us, Rusty said of
his mother.“Pee Wee was my grandfather.”
Although his mother vowed she was done with work, Rusty said he would love for her to stop in sometime
just to cut some onions or make some slaw.
The father-son duo plans to keep Pee Wee’s operating for another 50 years.
“I was so excited to be back here and so was everyone else. This place means a lot to so many people,”
Trent said. As the new owner, Rusty said they are looking forward to when school lets out so they can
get more of the summer employees back on board.
H said, “It’s been very good in the first week or two.
“We’ve probably broke all her opening day records,” Rusty said of his mother’s records. “I don’t know
that for a fact, but we probably did. It’s been very busy.”
Hours are Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
The homemade coney sauce and barbecue beef are what the business is known for.
Rusty said so far this season the barbecue beef is the number one seller, and the coney dogs are right
there close behind.
“Trent has worked the last few years and probably knows the business better than I do,” Rusty said of his
son.
Trent echoed some of his father’s comments, saying, “We’ve pretty much talked about keeping everything
the same this year and perhaps looking at changes next year if needed. The world is changing around us
and Pee Wee’s might change a little to keep up with the times.”