Inn offers $5 holiday feasts

Stockton Inn owner Fred Strackhouse wants to give something back to the community who welcomed him so warmly.

By: Linda Seida
   STOCKTON — When Fred Strackhouse and his family bought the Stockton Inn earlier this year, he set out to transform it into a family place where locals would feel comfortable rather than maintain it as an upscale dining destination.
   The inn’s evolution is simply a progression from the type of person he is, according to Mr. Strackhouse.
   "I’m not an elegant New York kind of person," he said. "Rarely will you see ‘elegant’ and ‘Fred Strackhouse’ in the same sentence."
   By all accounts, the community responded warmly.
   "The community has been absolutely fabulous to us," Mr. Strackhouse said. "They have been very complimentary. You couldn’t ask for a better community than Stockton."
   Office manager Walsh echoed the sentiment.
   "It been just fabulous over here," she said. "Since we opened the doors, we’ve been busy. It’s just phenomenal the way the community has come and helped us."
   However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. During the most recent flood, water filled the basement of the historic structure. The Stockton Fire Company pumped it all out.
   Now, as Thanksgiving approaches, Mr. Strackhouse, of Delaware Township, "wants to give back to the community," Ms. Walsh said. "Because that’s the way Fred is; he’s just that type of man. Fred is a great guy to work for. I tell everybody I have a great job, but now I have a great boss."
   The inn will serve Thanksgiving dinner for $5 a plate. The Trenton Soup Kitchen will receive 75 percent of all proceeds. The Stockton Fire Company will receive 25 percent. The firehouse, located on Mill Street, suffered significant flood damage this year.
   Donations for the soup kitchen and the fire company also will be accepted, Ms. Walsh said.
   The wait staff and the kitchen staff will volunteer their time. And vendors have donated turkeys, vegetables and other items for the traditional Thanksgiving meal.
   Dinner will include turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, vegetables, cranberry sauce, dinner rolls and pumpkin pie. Drinks are not included. There will be four seatings for dinner. The final two seatings at 1:30 and 2:45 p.m. were booked by Monday, but space still was available for the 11 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. seatings, Mr. Strackhouse said.
   Will the inn lose money on the special dinner next week?
   "Probably," Ms. Walsh said. "But, hey, you know, it’s with the territory when you do something like this. We’ll get it back two-fold."
   Money isn’t the point when giving thanks, at Thanksgiving or any other time of year.
   "He’s just reaching out," Ms. Walsh said.
   Reservations can be made by calling 397-1250.