It all started in 1960, Dot Carrington wanting to help with the family finances, decided that she would start selling homemade cakes made in her own kitchen. Bonnie just a youngster was given the job of icing the cakes, thus the beginning of her baking career.
They first started with just a picnic table and umbrella. Then they put up a small lean-to type shed that they operated for a long time, and were there when I came on to the scene in my early teenage years.
Bonnie and I courted for about 4 years then were married in May of 72 while I was home on leave from the Navy.
The next 2 years while I pulled foreign duty Bonnie continued to work with her mom in the bakery, while tending to our small baby (Heather). I was transferred back to the United States in Nov of 73 where I was to finish out my tour of duty.
In Feb of 1976 we moved back home from being in the Navy and built our home on West Shore Road. Bonnie went back working with her mom at Dots Bake Shop. Myself while I was employed as a mechanical draftsman found myself with weekends off and a wife working. So I decided to start up a part time business to take up my weekends while the wife worked. My passion of motorized sports led me to sell a new product on the market, the JET SKI. Bonnie and I often laugh at what was to happen when we first opened, we had named our new business West End Jet Ski, however the lettering was done in an oriental type. Our first phone call was for Chinese take out, had we heard the calling back then we would have gone into the food business for sure.
What first started as a weekend business soon led into a full time job and we soon added boats, snowmobiles, ATV’s and more to out sales dept. In the early 90’s after a good run with renting jet skis Bonnie and I had decided that we would try developing a mini golf course, along with go-carts and a snack bar. We decided to open our “snack bar” and give it a try on its own. How little did we know where that would take us?
We settled into making breakfast and lunch and Bonnie brought the bakery over to our new place keeping Dot’s Baked Goods alive, (with Dot still making the donuts every day). We had come up with a new name “Hillbillies”, as it just seemed a catchy name and with a little help from teasing from our “city” relatives.
We continued at our present location until the marriage of our youngest daughter, Nicole. At that point with the nest now being empty Bonnie and I decided that we would make our second floor into a small apartment for the 2 of us, and turn the ground floor into the restaurant. Well after nearly 3 years of working, coupled with the help of family and several really good friends we completed our restaurant and opened on April 2, 2003.You first enter our new place through our unique gift shop. The bakery items are located in the same area. Our dining area now seats 50 people in a relaxed atmosphere, decorated with hardwood floors combined with rustic wood wall covering and two beautiful murals, one of an old grist mill and the other of a lake. The window area overlooks our garden, which once was the miniature golf course. Our name has changed slightly as did our atmosphere, we added a little “class” to the place, and thus we now call ourselves the “Berkshire Hillbillies”. We serve breakfast all day consisting of omelets of all types made fresh to order, the largest pancakes in Berkshire county, coupled with lunch from about 11 am, until 3pm. Dinners are served on Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday evenings from 5pm to 9pm. Our burgers and sandwiches will make your mouth water, and we also have a nice selection of chicken and fish meals, as well as steaks, and chops. Homemade meatloaf, fresh veal parmesan and many other specials. We feature all homemade breads and roll with out meals, and of course bakery items are always available. With the construction of our new place we are now able to remain open in the cold winter months. However so as to give Bonnie a rest from the long bakery hours, and our desire to go to church Sunday’s during the winter months. We only serve dinners on Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday evenings from 5pm to 9pm, November through mid March. Our menu with few mainstay items will change on a weekly basis. We have now added pizza, beer & wine to our menu. Pizza is available to eat in, or take out.
New this year (2007) we have added an internet cafe. We have DSL hookups as well as wireless available for your high speed internet connections. Bring your laptop in have a meal or just hook up and enjoy. We give all the credit to the Lord, for its “through him that all things are possible”. We ask that you come on down, check us out and enjoy a little country dining.
