Rockwell’s Red Lion marks 40 years

By CHRISTINE HAINES

chaines@yourmvi.com

This month marks the 40th anniversary for Rockwell’s Red Lion Restaurant in Elizabeth, a milestone like many these days that came and went without much fanfare.

Because of the need for social distancing and restrictions which have forced the family-run business to focus on take-out only, owner Lynn Rockwell McHolme said the anniversary celebration has been placed on hold.

“We had planned to do something for the anniversary, but this changed all of that,” McHolme said. “I had T-shirts made. I’m still waiting on my pens.”

The Red Lion Restaurant opened the year after McHolme graduated from high school. There was no question about her career choice. 

“I knew I was going into some sort of business. My family had three businesses at the time,” McHolme said. “My parents were going to open this place, then my mother died in December, but we were too far into the plans to stop.”

McHolme entered the restaurant business along with her father and was joined by her younger sister a year later.

“My brother, who was only 13 at the time, went on to culinary school,” McHolme said.

McHolme said the restaurant initially served family-style food, with Nellie Robinson, mother of former Pittsburgh Pirates player Bill Robinson, serving as the first cook. Her brother graduated from culinary school and got some experience working in Pittsburgh before joining the family business as the chef in 1992. It was around that same time that the restaurant was able to obtain a liquor license.

“It was difficult for the first 10 years without a liquor license,” McHolme said.

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