Remembering Eleanor's

 My 'artsy' pic for today goes back to 2009. Eleanor's was the best place in London for 'frys'. I remember when the original Eleanor's was located on the main street in Exeter. She constructed this fine building (if you can call it that) when they relocated to London in about 2005. Eleanor's husband Terry (looked a bit like Popeye) served up the tasty and generous portions of golden delight. They used real peanut oil, not canola as some other booths do. The potatoes were aged and sweet as they should be. None better, they had a real following in the Byron area. The booth was a always a favorite stopping point for us when we weren't eating fries under the bridge in Sarnia/Point Edward.

Click on the pic to enlarge it.

Somehow I came across a comment in the local paper from one Cathy Atkinson that replied to my email about the disappearance of the Eleanor's structure. Here's the emails:

On Sat, 4/11/09, Carroll's Mailbox <email address removed> wrote:

From: Carroll's Mailbox <email address removed>

Subject: Did You Find Eleanor's???

To: Cathy A. email address removed

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2009, 2:34 PM

I would really appreciate it if you could let me know where Eleanor's went. If some other reader tells you, could I please get on your list of "Notifyees". Many years ago I used to stop in Exeter when the Eleanor's wagon was up there. I was thrilled when I found it had moved to Byron. I know from talking with the cook, "Terry" that he and Eleanor lived up somewhere around Denfield. I agree with you that Terry had the best fries and that's saying a lot since we have a condo in Sarnia near the famous fry wagons near the Bluewater Bridge. I feel Mackies fries in Port Stanley has gone down hill a bit lately.  I have a web domain called frywagon.com that I have never used. Maybe I should open a web page where fry enthusiasts can post their best choices for fries. I could start with Eleanor's!  Alas, I fear it is gone for good.

Many thanks. I was just saying to my wife yesterday as we drove through Byron, "I wonder where Eleanor's went. Now I know. They will be missed.

Thanks again for the email

Tim Carroll

--- On Thu, 5/7/09, cathy atkinson <email address removed> wrote:

From: cathy atkinson <email address removed>

Subject: Fwd: Eleanor's Fries

To: Tim C email address removed

Date: Thursday, May 7, 2009, 9:12 AM

here is a note from Eleanor herself....

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: TERRY TAYLOR <email address removed>

Date: Wed, May 6, 2009 at 11:02 PM

Subject: Eleanor's Fries

To: Cathy A email address removed

A friend gave me the notice that you put in the LFP on april 11th. I am Eleanor and my husband Terry operated the chip wagon for many years. When the landlady asked us to vacate our spot at Cornell's because she was going to build on the site (by the way have you seen her lovely new house-which does not exist) we looked for another spot in London but everywhere we tried to set up the city informed us that the site was not zoned for a chip wagon. We even had a "rent free" spot but could not go there. Eventually we gave up and closed the business and retired. Of course the city could not tell us where we would be allowed to set up.

We really miss all of our wonderful customers and we see many of them when we are out shopping or at a restaurant or even at social events. Thank you for your letter to the paper and I am sorry I did not see it sooner to answer.

Eleanor & Terry