State Senator George Borrello presents New York State Historic Business award to the owners of Meeder’s Restaurant in Ripley.
Meeder’s Restaurant in Ripley has been added to New York State’s Historic Business Preservation Registry.
State Senator George Borrello recently presented the New York State Historic Business award to the restaurant.
Established by legislation passed in 2020, the Historic Business Registry includes businesses that have been in operation for at least 50 years and have contributed to their communities’ history.
Borrello nominated Meeder’s Restaurant to the registry in 2023, in recognition of their role in helping shape the history, heritage and identity of the Ripley community.
The roots of Meeder’s go back to 1960 when Andy Meeder, the original owner, went to an auction at an old Sunoco gas station, intending to purchase a washing machine, but instead went home the owner of the station itself. The restaurant went through some expansions to adapt to its growing customer base and was led by three successive generations of the Meeder family. It was purchased in 2016 by its current owners, Sheila and Bob Bentley.
The Bentleys have made some changes to the menu, incorporating old recipes into modern-day fare.
The honorary business registry program, which provides educational and promotional assistance to help ensure businesses in the state remain viable, is coordinated through the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP). An interactive storyboard map, which provides information about the location and history of each business, can be found at https://parks.ny.gov/historic-preservation/business-registry/default.aspx.
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